Reuters/Zogby Poll: Obama Has Seven Point Lead, But He's Losing Independents

Democrat Barack Obama has a 7-point lead on Republican John McCain in the U.S. presidential race, and holds a small edge on the crucial question of who would best manage the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

More than a month after kicking off the general election campaign, Obama leads McCain by 47 percent to 40 percent. That is slightly better than his 5-point cushion in mid-June, shortly after he clinched the Democratic nomination fight against New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

But Obama's 22-point advantage in June among independents, a critical voting bloc that could swing either way in the November election, shrunk to 3 points during a month in which the candidates battled on the economy and Obama was accused of shifting to the center on several issues.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[gditty]

Obama raises 52 million dollars for june, BUT clinton supporters complain not enough money is going towards Hillary's debt.

[Chapmanp2]

As with EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF GOOD NEWS FOR OBAMA, it's followed with a "but".
We're sick of it. Obama is leading in States that have been solid Republican safe havens for years & the media deems it necessary to spin every positive poll with a "but". This is supposed to be news NOT OP-ED hour. Even the web (where I used to turn for "news") is now completely infected with spin. Try watching a little International news & compare. Our MSM is completely out of control & now the websites I used to rely on are following directly in their footsteps. Pathetic.

[amst]

Chap,

You are 100 percent correct. As a matter of fact the MSM is phrasing it this weay, Obama and McCain in a dead heat." They can't bring themselves to say he's ahead, AND they referred to the Zogby poll wish gave Obama a 3 point lead. They NEVER will give O any credit for his gains.

He's on his own. I hope he wins by any amount, BUT I'll laugh my a** off he wins by a large margin seeing the media scramble around wondering where they could have possibly been wrong.

amHusseinST


Obama 08

[jeanrenoir]

If Obama's lead is growing, but his independents are shrinking, the only logical explanation is the the number of independents in the ELECTORATE is shrinking, as more and more go over to the Dems. Great news for the Dems and Obama, not something to fret about.

[Lemeritus]

"...the number of independents in the ELECTORATE is shrinking, as more and more go over to the Dems"

I hope you're right, jeanrenoir. I believe the common wisdom has always been that independents ARE the "center". If by moving to the center, Obama overshot and we're losing the independents then "Houston, we have a problem."

[1099]

When someone says "the only logical explanation" it's time to look out.

[MaryT63]

The corporate media is happily painting their big picture of who Obama is. Forget that he wrote two books describing his life, background, education, family, etc. That's not good enough for MSM. They have to paint their own picture. I read earlier this year where reporters had been out there canvasing any females Obama every associated with to find out if he made any unwarranted advances towards them. They found nothing.
There is 24/7 coverage of Obama - only the negatives are hashed out and discussed 24/7 until they get something else negative. Obama get 75% coverage, McCain gets 25% coverage. Now when MSM focus on McCain that 25% of the time, the coverage is 90% positive. Of Obama's 75% coverage, 90% is negative.
With this media 24/7 broadcasting overview, they got the nerve to say 'why is Obama not beating McCain by 20 to 30 percent?' They have created the landscape for many people of how they view the two candidates. But MSM come off with this fake wonderment of why Obama is not more ahead. At times it's nauseaous. I hope the Obama team knows what the media is doing to him.

[CarlyShitson]

Great news all day!

[MGhamma]

Losing independents?? These "independents" must be republicans who are too ashamed to admit that they are republicans. Only 7 points,hmm.

[BigLib]

Who will save Barry?

[Dane1911]

he is up by 7 points, but how many votes have McCain lost...I am sick and tired of everyone talking about Obama ups and downs every second...what about McCains down and downs and ups and downs...

[meanguy]

wahhhh

[neesy08]

It is July. I do not pay heed to these polls. We still have 4 months.

However, the CA poll IS probably accurate. Obama has a 24(?) point lead.

[EinChicago]

I love it. I don't pay attention to polls. Unless it's one that shows what I want to see, then it's probably accurate.

Hilarious.

[barackobama4prez]

That one is true because the Rep. brand is horseshit. California isn't buying what Gramps is selling.

[Danny]

"They", the corporate forces, want to perpetuate this myth so that they can steal the next election. Won't work this time.

[meanguy]

just hold on to your tinfoil hat

[zendem1]

And you'll hold on to your dynamo-hum

[Bernique]

Planted B.S.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

"But Obama's 22-point advantage in June among independents, a critical voting bloc that could swing either way in the November election, shrunk to 3 points during a month in which the candidates battled on the economy and Obama was accused of shifting to the center on several issues."

It seems that independents prefer a progressive president. Just imagine how big Obama's lead would be if he hadn't suddenly shifted to the center!

[MGhamma]

Good point yellowdog. Nice work with the hammer.

[Peteyman]

To tell the truth, I don't know what he was thinking with the FISA vote. I don't really know much about it, other than it gives civil immunity to telecom corporations. It must've had something in it that he liked enough to vote yea. He must not have thought about the Republican mindset long enough. He had nothing to gain and everything to lose politically. Oh well. My support is still to him.

[gditty]

No democrat President has ever been elected without shifting to the center, including Bill Clinton!!

[nosanity]

and you plagiarized yours equally well

[nosanity]

to be a man you must stand for something , you must have some core value . campaign finance oops , fisa oops , faith based initiatives oops , 20 year friend mentor and minister oops , getting a great deal on real estate from a slum lord you helped out in chicago oops , change you can make believe in ... priceless

[tbone99]

The Dems - suicide by failing to lead.

If you were going to be an independent , isn't it because you thought you wanted different CHOICES....
instead we get corporate replicas.