McCain Seen as Less Likely to Bring Change, Poll Finds

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times

McCain Seen as Less Likely to Bring Change, Poll Finds

By ROBIN TONER and ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: September 18, 2008
WASHINGTON — In the days after the Republican convention in St. Paul — as Senator John McCain was greeted with huge crowds as he traveled the country with his new running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska — party leaders and McCain aides were buoyed by the reception, and said it hinted at good things for Mr. McCain as he headed into the general election contest with Senator Barack Obama.

By every indication, Ms. Palin seemed on the brink of producing a whole series of benefits for Mr. McCain. She could rally Republican base voters who have long been wary of Mr. McCain because of his positions on some issues. She could permit Mr. McCain to reach out to independent and perhaps even Democratic women voters upset at the nature of the Democratic contest that resulted in Mr. Obama defeating Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

And the break-the-mold nature of the choice, they argued, could help Mr. McCain in what was one of his chief political goals of that convention: To assert that he and Ms. Palin — and not Mr. Obama — would bring change and reform to Washington, taking from Mr. Obama what had been his signature theme from the start of his candidacy.

But two weeks after the Republican convention, with public sentiment starting to settle into place, there are indications that Ms. Palin might not be accomplishing what Mr. McCain had hoped in choosing her. A New York Times/CBS News poll this week found that Ms. Palin had accomplished one crucial goal for Mr. McCain: She helped raise the enthusiasm level markedly among Republicans: 47 percent of his Republican supporters said they were enthusiastic about the ticket, twice as much as before. But so far, the poll suggests, the boost has not gone far beyond that. The poll found that even now, voters are much more likely to identify Mr. Obama — and not Mr. McCain — as someone who would bring change to Washington. He is widely viewed as someone who would continue or expand President Bush’s policies in office.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/us/politics/19pollcnd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

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[Ian David]

1. In other news, poll finds majority believes...

... ursine mammals evacuate their bowels in a sylvan environment.

[qwlauren35]

2. What is sylvan?

Sometimes I feel quite undereducated here!

[calmblueocean]

3. McCain was an idiot to steal Obama's "change" mantra

Everyone knows Obama has been using "change" since the very beginning. Choosing Palin excited his base, but undermined his most fundamental argument against Obama and made him look like a Johnny-come-lately copycat, if not a thief. He destroyed his own campaign by choosing her, and trying to copy Obama so blatantly. The American people just aren't THAT dumb. Really!