Star/WTHR poll: It's close in Indiana

[IndianaGreen]

Source: Indianapolis Star

Star/WTHR poll: It's close in Indiana

Poll finds Obama has a fragile edge on McCain, 47% to 44%

By Bill Ruthhart and Tim Evans

Sen. Barack Obama holds a tenuous lead over Sen. John McCain in Indiana, with one in four likely voters saying they could change their mind on who to support for president, according to a new Indianapolis Star-WTHR (Channel 13) poll.

Obama's three-point lead in the poll, 47 percent to 44 percent, reinforces Indiana's status as a battleground in the race for the White House.

The poll, conducted Sunday through Tuesday by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, Iowa, also revealed a geographic disparity between the two candidates: Obama, the Democrat, holds a 54 percent to 40 percent advantage in Indianapolis, but McCain, the Republican, leads in all other regions of the state, including Northwest Indiana.

Pollster J. Ann Selzer said the poll, with a 4 percentage point margin of error, reflects a lead by Obama that is tentative and reliant on a solid turnout in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

Obama's advantage, the poll found, easily could be erased. That's because one in four likely voters are still up for grabs: Six percent are undecided, and almost 20 percent of voters who say they prefer Obama or McCain say they could be persuaded to vote for someone else.



Read more: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/NEWS0502/80917076

---

I guess Indiana won't be going in the red column by 6 pm as it usually does. :-)

[Beregond2]

1. Great news,

and a harbinger of more good news to come.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

2. Great to hear!

That's go to feel good to all the Democrats in the state! :toast:

[Indiana_Dem]

8. Don'tchya know it and I'm working REALLY REALLY hard! nt

[saltpoint]

3. This is not only good for Obama/Biden but good news also for

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson.

Incumbent Puke Gov. Mitch Daniels is among the more loathsome varieties of Bush Republicans.

It would be terrific to see Obama carry the state and Jill Long Thompson defeat Daniels.

[IndianaGreen]

4. You mean to say that Mitch is not your man?

Those idiotic bumper stickers saying "My Man Mitch" suck big time. The man sold our toll road to a foreign company, and the tolls have nearly doubled.

[saltpoint]

5. Privatize, privatize, privatize. "Major Moves" made some of Mitch's

business partners a buck or two, but I'm hoping enough reglar ol' folks in Indiana don't like it and will support Jill Long Thompson.

What a refreshing thing it would be to be rid of Mitch Daniels.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Hope there are plenty of Ditch Mitch stickers floating around.

Warn your Democratic County Chair and/or Poll Worker Chair to verify anyone requesting to work at a polling site.

We've had some people calling in to be appointed as a poll worker (election worker) at the election site that had worked in previous elections for the Republican Party.

The way it is set up the Inspector represents the Party that received the most votes for Secretary of State in the previous election. With the Inspector there is a Democratic and Republican Judge that consist of the precinct election board.

* * The Judge of the opposite political party of the Inspector must accompany the inspector in returning election supplies (ballots, poll lists, affidavits) to the county election board.

This is key! If a Republican is somehow appointed for the Democratic slot then there is possibility of tampering.

A member of the precinct election board may challenge voters. (Inspector or either Judge)
Poll Clerks can only challenge voter based on the voter's signature.

[Jokerman]

19. How about the "I didn't raise taxes" lie he keeps telling?

Last time I looked the sales tax went up in general and those of us in the Indy metro area are paying even more to support another dumb-ass stadium.

Buy dinner in Marion county and you'll pay NINE PERCENT SALES TAX!

[qwlauren35]

21. Are You SERIOUS?????????

Why isn't this kind of sh*t a National Security Violation????

What happens if a "foreign company" shuts down the toll road just before a military convoy is en-route???

Someone needs to tell me how we are supposed to protect ourselves from this. Why are our toll roads and ports "for sale"????

[IndianaGreen]

25. Foreign group taking over Indiana Toll Road (2006)

Under the agreement, the state is barred from making improvements to side roads that people can take to avoid the toll road.

Foreign group taking over Indiana Toll Road

The Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 04.16.2006

INDIANAPOLIS — In the biggest highway privatization deal in U.S. history, state officials last week signed an agreement to turn the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road over to a foreign consortium that will operate it for a profit for the next 75 years.

Under the lease, Spanish-Australian consortium Cintra-Macquarie will pay the state $3.8 billion up front and will be responsible for operating and maintaining the highway. It will get to keep the toll revenue it collects.

Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels said the upfront payment will help pay for other transportation projects and create jobs.

Opponents argued it violates the state constitution and have sued. They said the constitution requires that proceeds from the sale of any public works be used to pay off state debt.

http://www.azstarnet.com/news/124820

[Ediacara]

6. ROCK ON!

[Indiana_Dem]

7. I KEEP TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE!!!!!! Yay! Obama office is opening up here in

Logansport in a couple of weeks!!!! Yeehaw! Here is tonight's canvassing result in RED, RED Logansport:

I'm getting this everytime I go out and each time it's getting better--

Total doors knocked: ~85

Strong Obama: 16
Lean Obama: 10
Undecided: 5
Lean McCain: 3
Strong McCain: 4

Not Home: 48
Moved: 13
Vacant: 2
Inaccessible: 3

Others not on list voting Obama: 3
Not Voting at all: 1
Registrations: 12 (7 new) <FYI--total around 61 new registrations from the Obama canvassers to date>

(not including the 10 strong Obamas/0 McCains I got on Sunday--don't have stats as Megan took that bunch before I could tally)

There was a sense of urgency for the need to change I got from the people I spoke with tonight, they sounded really concerned.

[David Zephyr]

9. Yeah!!!! And this poll predates Senator Hagel's dismissal of Palin as a VP candidate.

If Indiana comes blue, it will mean Obama is president.

I have been very pessimistic and even depressed, but the last two days are showing me the spit and the fight.

Indiana, you are the one.

[Triana]

11. I'm not complaining but I'm still STUNNED as to how ANYONE could be "undecided"

:wtf:

[qwlauren35]

22. Actually...

I think it's a nice way of saying "None of yer gotdammed business!!!"

There are still a lot of older folks who think that their political views are private and do not choose to make them known.

Now, there are also people who probably like Obama, but don't want to go on record as saying so.

And there are probably people who have NO OTHER REASON than the fact that they don't want a black president... but not only don't want to admit it, but may be starting to rethink that viewpoint.

Folks who are boomers and younger don't have a lot of respect for the level of privacy that was the norm up until the 1950's. Family scandals and political views weren't to be discussed with outsiders. And half the time, "not in front of the children!"

[FlyingSquirrel]

12. HOOSIER PRESIDENT NOW, BIATCHES??

:evilgrin:

[KillCapitalism]

13. Totally fucking amazing!

When was the last time Indiana went Dem? I'm sure it's been a hell of a long time.

[Jokerman]

18. 1964

Post Kennedy assassination sympathy vote.

Many local Dems rode that wave into office, including my dad who was elected to the state legislature from a very republican district.

We're hoping for more of that this year.

On edit: I just want to clarify that were are hoping for Dem victories down the line, not another "sympathy vote".

[Waiting For Everyman]

14. That's so cool, IG!

Fingers crossed for Indiana, and all the workers there! In play this time, huh - imagine it alllllll bluuuuue.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. Wow!!!

Hey, is that a flying pig outside my window?

:headbang:

[TheFarseer]

16. I hope all the farmers in Indiana

will think very hard about McCain's opposition to Ethanol. Without Ethanol, it's the God damn Great Depression out on the farm.

[cling2reality]

17. still skeptical

As a blue hoosier, I am still skeptical.
Unfortunately there are too many bigots here for me to believe Obama will win Indiana.
They drink the kool aid by the gallons here.

[maxsolomon]

20. if Obama wins Indiana, McCain has no shot

it will be a landslide.

[jazzjunkysue]

23. If Indiana's in play, almost everwhere is in play.

Gramps is done.

[pyro858]

24. Hey Hoosiers, Vote Smart or Vote Stupid

This election is as simple as that.

[Arugula Latte]

26. Don't you love how they play up the "tenuous" and shakiness of the lead in the lede?

I'd wager good money that if McCain had a three-point lead they would not emphasize such things. :eyes: