USA Today/Gallup: Obama Rated as Winner of Second Presidential Debate

[Democratic Hawk]

Obama Rated as Winner of Second Presidential Debate [October 9, 2008]

Debate watchers say Obama won by 56% to 23%

http://www.gallup.com/poll/111058/Obama-Rated-Winner-Second-Presidential-Debate.aspx

Regardless of which candidate you happen to support, who did you think did the better job in last night's debate?

Barack Obama: 56%
John McCain: 23%
Neither: 4%
Both equally: 15%
No opinion: 3%

How has your opinion of the candidates been affected by the debate? Is your opinion of .... more favorable, less favorable , or has it not changed much?

More favorable: Obama 35%; McCain 12%
Not changed: Obama 53%; McCain 54%
Less favorable: Obama 12%; McCain 33%

USA Today/Gallup poll, Oct. 8, 2008

Dave

[Democratic Hawk]

There's some issue data as well:

Which candidate offered the best proposal for change to solve the country's problems?

Oct 8: McCain 32%; Obama 53%
Sep 27: McCain 35%; Obama 52%

Do you now have more confidence, less confidence or the same amount of confidence in ... to deal with the economic problems facing the country?

John McCain

Oct 8: More 17%; Less 43%; Same 38% (net -26)
Sep 27: More 23%; Less 37%; Same 38% (net -14)

Barack Obama

Oct 8: More 33%; Less 24%; Same 40% (net +9)
Sep 27: More 34%; Less 26%; Same 38% (net +8)

Do you now have more confidence, less confidence or the same amount of confidence in ... to deal with matters of defense and foreign policy facing the country?

John McCain

Oct 8: More 25%; Less 30%; Same 43% (net -5)
Sep 27: More 34%; Less 27%; Same 37% (net +7)

Barack Obama

Oct 8: More 33%; Less 27%; Same 38% (net +6)
Sep 27: More 35%; Less 29%; Same 34% (net +6)

[Democratic Hawk]

How has your opinion of the candidates been affected by the debate? Is your opinion of .... more favorable, less favorable , or has it not changed much?

More favorable: Obama 35%; McCain 12%
Not changed: Obama 53%; McCain 54%
Less favorable: Obama 12%; McCain 33%

Net: Obama (+23); McCain (-21)

[??????????]

Duh. Do you really think they would give McCain the victory?

[© tweed]

Duh. Do you really think they would give McCain the victory?

the electorate?  perhaps if he performed better.

[Eraserhead]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

[J. J.]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

[Nym90]

Duh. Do you really think they would give McCain the victory?

True, I didn't really expect a majority of the people who watched the debate to think McCain won either.

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

Of course winning the election matters more, but I don't agree that McCain did anything in the debate to improve his chances of doing that.

In his defense, there probably isn't anything he can do. Either the economy has to dramatically improve in 3 weeks (which is of course impossible) or some huge scandal has to come out against Obama (unlikely anything big enough wouldn't have been found by now) or some massive foreign policy crisis has to emerge (and the Republicans have to win the spin war over it and convince folks that it's not Bush's fault in any way, shape or form).

[J. J.]

Of course winning the election matters more, but I don't agree that McCain did anything in the debate to improve his chances of doing that.

In his defense, there probably isn't anything he can do. Either the economy has to dramatically improve in 3 weeks (which is of course impossible) or some huge scandal has to come out against Obama (unlikely anything big enough wouldn't have been found by now) or some massive foreign policy crisis has to emerge (and the Republicans have to win the spin war over it and convince folks that it's not Bush's fault in any way, shape or form).

The Rasmussen numbers were most interesting.  Obama won the debate, by a large margin, but McCain looked to be better prepared to be president. 

[Democratic Hawk]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

It was the key to Reagan's landslide

[J. J.]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

It was the key to Reagan's landslide

No, not that alone.  Several things happened.

1.  Reagan connected.

2.  Reagan wasn't scary.  He looked like he could lead.

3.  Reagan made it a referendum on Carter's tenure.

[afleitch]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

It was the key to Reagan's landslide

No, not that alone.  Several things happened.

1.  Reagan connected.

2.  Reagan wasn't scary.  He looked like he could lead.

3.  Reagan made it a referendum on Carter's tenure.

Which, co-incidentally (replacing Carter with Bush) is exactly what Obama's campaign is trying to emulate.

[Nym90]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

It was the key to Reagan's landslide

No, not that alone.  Several things happened.

1.  Reagan connected.

2.  Reagan wasn't scary.  He looked like he could lead.

3.  Reagan made it a referendum on Carter's tenure.

In other words, Reagan won the debate.

Of course winning the election matters more, but I don't agree that McCain did anything in the debate to improve his chances of doing that.

In his defense, there probably isn't anything he can do. Either the economy has to dramatically improve in 3 weeks (which is of course impossible) or some huge scandal has to come out against Obama (unlikely anything big enough wouldn't have been found by now) or some massive foreign policy crisis has to emerge (and the Republicans have to win the spin war over it and convince folks that it's not Bush's fault in any way, shape or form).

The Rasmussen numbers were most interesting.  Obama won the debate, by a large margin, but McCain looked to be better prepared to be president. 

Of course McCain will always win that measure. I'm sure Carter had it over Reagan in 1980, too. The candidate with less experience would be certainly expected to lose that question.

The real key is whether or not Obama is over 50 percent in that question. If he is, he wins.

[J. J.]

I posted this in the debate polls thread a while ago. Well known left winger, Scott Rasmussen, also says Obama won (45%-28%).

Winning the debate isn't the key, however.

It was the key to Reagan's landslide

No, not that alone.  Several things happened.

1.  Reagan connected.

2.  Reagan wasn't scary.  He looked like he could lead.

3.  Reagan made it a referendum on Carter's tenure.

In other words, Reagan won the debate.

I'm not sure that Reagan actually "won."  He made a great impression.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Again, I'm not too sure about that.  We kind of saw that in 2004 where Kerry won the debates, but Bush came out better.

[Democratic Hawk]

Of course winning the election matters more, but I don't agree that McCain did anything in the debate to improve his chances of doing that.

In his defense, there probably isn't anything he can do. Either the economy has to dramatically improve in 3 weeks (which is of course impossible) or some huge scandal has to come out against Obama (unlikely anything big enough wouldn't have been found by now) or some massive foreign policy crisis has to emerge (and the Republicans have to win the spin war over it and convince folks that it's not Bush's fault in any way, shape or form).

The Rasmussen numbers were most interesting.  Obama won the debate, by a large margin, but McCain looked to be better prepared to be president. 

That, I'd say, ties in with the 'experience' issue. I'm not sure how prepared he is. His temperament does him no favors, even conservatives like George F. Will are raising concerns, and he's been led by the right of his party, and the polls, all year long

He's far from anything reminiscent of a "steady hand at the tiller" from where I'm sitting

On the single most important issue of the day, Obama has been, relatively, consistent; McCain's head has been all over the place. He opposed the government taking a majority stake in AIG one day, he's in favor, two days later. He opposed offshore drilling, then within hours of a poll (Rasmussen, June 18) suggesting a majority in favor, he's in support of it. Granted Obama has shifted but after more thought and as part of a wider energy strategy

I know you consider Obama insular (and he may be), but he appears to be besting McCain on empathy; that is "which candidate better understands your needs and priorities"?

Dave

[J. J.]

Of course winning the election matters more, but I don't agree that McCain did anything in the debate to improve his chances of doing that.

In his defense, there probably isn't anything he can do. Either the economy has to dramatically improve in 3 weeks (which is of course impossible) or some huge scandal has to come out against Obama (unlikely anything big enough wouldn't have been found by now) or some massive foreign policy crisis has to emerge (and the Republicans have to win the spin war over it and convince folks that it's not Bush's fault in any way, shape or form).

The Rasmussen numbers were most interesting.  Obama won the debate, by a large margin, but McCain looked to be better prepared to be president. 

That, I'd say, ties in with the 'experience' issue. I'm not sure how prepared he is. His temperament does him no favors, even conservatives like George F. Will are raising concerns, and he's been led by the right of his party, and the polls, all year long

He's far from anything reminiscent of a "steady hand at the tiller" from where I'm sitting

On the single most important issue of the day, Obama has been, relatively, consistent; McCain's head has been all over the place. He opposed the government taking a majority stake in AIG one day, he's in favor, two days later. He opposed offshore drilling, then within hours of a poll (Rasmussen, June 18) suggesting a majority in favor, he's in support of it. Granted Obama has shifted but after more thought and as part of a wider energy strategy

I know you consider Obama insular (and he may be), but he appears to be besting McCain on empathy; that is "which candidate better understands your needs and priorities"?

Dave

And Obama's position has been?