Interesting North Carolina poll numbers from the Charlotte Observer

[book_worm]

I think it is actually encouraging considering that McCain has been around forever and Obama is relatively new:

Obama has said he can bring traditionally Republican states into play, particularly in the South. He launched his general election campaign in Raleigh, has aired TV ads in North Carolina and has opened more than a dozen campaign offices across the state. On Saturday, his campaign announced that he will return to Raleigh on Tuesday to hold a town hall meeting at the State Fairgrounds.

But a new poll from The Charlotte Observer and NewsChannel 36 shows that North Carolinians think McCain would be a better president, 43 percent to 38 percent. The margin of sampling error for the overall poll is 3.1 percent.

They give him more credit than they do Obama for being knowledgeable and experienced, and they think he would make a stronger commander in chief. More of them see McCain as being honest, standing up for his beliefs and having strong commander-in-chief leadership qualities. South Carolina respondents generally felt the same way

Carolinians, though, think Obama is stronger on several fronts. They see him as likeable, optimistic and more compassionate than McCain.

"He's much more appealing when it comes to a brighter outlook and a better attitude," said Michael Oldson, 45, a Democrat who sells real estate in Huntersville. "It's infectious. You finally have someone who's out there trying to pump you up and say good things."

The news organizations polled residents, without asking whether they plan to vote. The poll gauges overall public sentiment better than it predicts the outcome of the election.

* Virtually no blacks in the Carolinas think McCain would do a better job as president. Black respondents backed Obama, 91 percent to close to zero percent.

* Just 24 percent of white Carolinians in the poll said they think Obama would do a better job, while 54 percent support McCain.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1181368.html

[Triana]

1. probablt still too many racists & rednecks in nc for it to ever go blue (again) n/t

[brmdp3123]

9. Well...

that sure insults the hell out of me!

[Tunkamerica]

11. i live in nc and and have lived up north and i see about the same

amount of rednecks (they just have different accents) and way more racism up there

[liberal1973]

15. I disagree

I do not think that the state is full of rednecks and racist. Perhaps the people there are a little less informed.

I think that Obama has a great shot at winning NC.

[Triana]

18. I hope you're right and yea, I agree about Northerners - there are rednecks/racists up there too..

...I used to live there. So I have to apologize for that statement.

I guess it's hard for me to believe people can be THAT misinformed unless they just WANT to. So, I guess they must want to.

[gateley]

2. This is where the right VP could help to swing the undecided white voters

Obama's way.

I can't say I'm surprised at the racial divide. In fact, when I look at white people here, I automatically assume they're voting for McCain. I'm usually proven right.

Very disappointing - and really unsettling to someone coming from living a lifetime in Seattle.

[writes3000]

4. That's why I think Obama is better off trying to pick of midwest/west states.

I think the South is super tough for him.

[NorthCarolina]

3. North Carolina checking in for Obama here

and I'll go one better...am encouraged that Kay Hagan will best Liddy Dole as well.

[elkston]

6. Yep. The negative ad they are showing against Dole (93rd place) is excellent!

I hope we'll see this kind of stuff from Obama about McCain.

[book_worm]

7. I feel good about NC. I remember the polls before the primary showed it narrowing

between Hillary and Obama to about 5 or 6 points and in the end Obama won by 16. The African American vote in NC will be nearly unanimous for Obama and turnout will be BIG. I think in the end Obama will get at least a third of the white vote which will be enough for him to win. I agree too, the big turnout of black voters will also upset Liddy Dole and bring in Kay Hagen too.

[Demi_Babe]

8. North Carolina checking in for Obama here too

[mmonk]

5. Not bad from that area of the state.

The triangle and triad (the other metro areas of contention) will go Obama.

[my3boyz]

10. If Obama gets 90% of black vote (with huge turnout) plus

24% of white vote, you would think he would have a decent shot. Assuming that all the people that Bill Clinton was trying to pull out don't vote in droves for McCain.

[bornskeptic]

17. That won't add up at all.

According to the 2000 census, NC is about 22% African-American and 74% white. So, if Obama gets 24% and McCain takes 76% of the white vote, that's 56% for McCain without any African-American Asian, or Latino votes. A Democrat needs close to 40% of the white vote to carry NC. It's possible, but I don't think it's very likely. Kerry got somewhere around a third of the white vote.

[Alcibiades]

12. Is this of likely voters?

We will have lots of unlikely voters voting this time. We're registering hordes of folks as Democrats.

Sounds as if Obama wins virtually every black vote in the state. Remember, part of the Republican strategy with evangelicals has been to win all their votes. If you have a bloc of supporters you can count on 100%, you can focus more of your efforts on undecideds.

That being said, we have zero chance of winning North Carolina, and it's foolish for us to spend so much time and effort here. Republicans in North Carolina can just stay home on election day, because the state is 100% guaranteed for McCain.

[greguganus]

13. I live in NC and have lived up north and far more 'rednecks' up there. Alot of them move down here.

And where do you live so I can stereotype you?

[1Hippiechick]

14. A Duke poli sci professor was quoted in the press last week, saying that the only way NC will go

blue is if there is a concerted effort to register African American voters (loosely translated.) Looked for the article but couldn't find.

REGARDLESS, we are rocking the vote in the AA community!

[Thrill]

16. I'm in NC too. I think he definitely has a chance.

A lot of big colleges and alot of traditional Black colleges. And NC, is also a place where a lot of Northerners have moved to.

Either way. I think Obama is going to help Kay Hagan defeat Dole.