Obama's Independents Problem
A new focus group finds that independent voters who haven't cast ballots in the presidential primaries but who will be a crucial bloc in the general election don't know much about Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, despite his many months of campaigning.
And they don't like much of what they have heard. "Obama has been defined to a large extent by his association with Reverend [Jeremiah] Wright [his controversial former pastor] or a narrative of his background to which they do not relate," Democratic pollster Peter Hart said.
Seven of the 12 focus-group participants believed that 0bama is a Muslim. He is, in fact, a Christian.
Hart said Obama needs to quickly define the stakes in the general election as he tries to lock up the nomination. "More important," Hart said, "he must introduce himself to American voters, particularly independents" who are "nervous or uncertain about him and what kind of president he would be."
The focus group was conducted in Charlottesville, Va., by Hart for the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The 12 participants split evenly in their presidential preference between Obama and Republican John McCain.
—Kenneth T. Walsh
Reader Comments
Obama is a Muslim.
Obama is a Muslim.
His father was Muslim.
Obama is a Muslim.
His step father was Muslim.
In the Muslim world, Obama is a Muslim.
In Asian countries, such as Japan and most of the world, you follow your father.
Obama is considered a Muslim in all of these countries.
The Asian say, you follow your father.
Obama may not be a practicing Muslim, but he is a considered a Muslim in most of the world.
Obama is a Muslim. period
neither
I don't think Obama's a Muslim, but he's darn sure not a Christian either. That stuff they preach in his church is definitely not the Gospel of Christ. Did you see everybody jumping around and cheering while the priest makes fun of Hillary? Can you imagine Jesus acting like that?
McCain not Credible on Issues
McCain's claim to being experience provides no comfort to anyone, after all if that was the standard in 2000, he should have beaten G.W. Bush, why did he fail? Secondly, he has shown bad judgement by corting Rev. Hagee, reaffirming his acceptance of support after the problem with Catholics, but only now denounces him after the Hitler remark.
McCain cannot explain how he hopes to tame the rogue states, and enemies of the United States, if not through dialogue. He expects that we are dumb enough to think that a US president just jumps into AF1 to go and talk to other leaders as long as he says there will be no "pre-conditions". Surely, when one sits down to dinner, they do not need to state that they will use their mouths to eat. That is an unstated fact. In the same light, cross-national talks require preparations, the detailes of which are best left unstated.
To the Christian Conservatives single issue voters when it comes to politics? I read of people urging a stay at home because some candidates support abortion, or some other thing. It is myopic and self defeating if you expect to punish a political candidate by with-holding your vote on such an issue. Of what importance are issues like poverty, injustice, greed, racism, crime, tolerance, to you?
Finally, the war in Iraq: Consider the cost per month- Billions. Looking at this shaky economy, how will McCain balance the budget, revive the economy and also support the war in Iraq for the nex four years? I bet even his most able economic adviser will ask him to dodge this question. He seimply can make the facts stand on their own. A third Bush term will eb America's worst nioghtmare for it will affect us all- and McCain knows he cannot be able to help us.
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