Imagine A Great Election

CURRENT POLLS: Late September 2008

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
Rasmussen Reports, Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday—the first update with results based entirely upon interviews conducted following the first Presidential Debate—shows:
 
• Barack Obama attracting 51% of the vote while

• John McCain earns 45%.

Obama opened a five-point lead heading into Friday’s debate and has retained a five or six point edge every day since.

• Obama is now viewed favorably by 58% of voters 

• McCain is now viewed favorably by 55% of voters

Rasmussen Markets data shows:

• Obama is now given a 63.4% chance of winning in November 

• Obama’s prospects improved overnight following the collapse on Wall Street Monday

The economy remains the top issue of Election 2008.

Obama Gets Post-Debate Boost in Voter Trust on All Issues
Rasmussen Reports, Monday, September 29, 2008

Voters in surveys this weekend gave a [post-debate] boost in trust to Barack Obama over John McCain on a cross-section of issues.

Obama is now trusted more on all 10 major issues in new Rasmussen Reports national telephone surveys.

1) IRAQ
Obama has a statistically insignificant one-point lead over McCain in trust on the handling of the war in Iraq.
 
2) NATIONAL SECURITY
• 36% thought Obama won the debate (which focused on National Security issues)

• 33% gave the advantage to McCain

• 31% were undecided

3) ECONOMY
• 47% trust Obama more to balance the federal budget

• 43% trust McCain more to balance the federal budget

4) TAXES
• 48% trust Obama more on taxes

• 45% trust McCain more on taxes

5) TRADE
• 47% trust Obama more on negotiating trade agreements

• 43% trust McCain more on negotiating trade agreements

6) SOCIAL SECURITY
Obama has an eight-point lead in terms of trust on Social Security.

7) HEALTH CARE
Obama is trusted by more than half of voters and has record leads on health care.

8) THE ENVIRONMENT
Obama is trusted by more than half of voters and has record leads on the environment.

9) IMMIGRATION
• 43% trust Obama more on immigration

• 40% trust McCain more on immigration

10) ABORTION
• 47% trust Obama more on abortion

• 42% trust McCain more on abortion

Winner of the First Debate: Jim Lehrer
Rasmussen Reports, Saturday, September 27, 2008

The winner of the first Presidential debate was moderator and PBS television personality Jim Lehrer:

• 76% say Lehrer was neutral 

• 7% thought he tried to help Obama 

• 3% thought he tried to help McCain

• 14% were not sure

Among those who watched the entire debate, 85% thought Lehrer maintained his neutrality.

As for the candidates:

• 36% thought Obama won 

• 33% gave the advantage to McCain

• 31% were not sure

Five percent (5%) of voters say the debate changed how they would vote, but the changes were equally divided between Obama and McCain supporters.

Saturday interviews for the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll—the first post-debate interviews—suggest:

• little changed following the debate  

• Obama retains a modest lead over McCain 

While the debate was to focus on national security issues, the first 39 minutes were spent discussing the economic turmoil that has shaken the nation:

• 44% of voters say they agree with Obama’s view on the proposed bailout bill 

• 40% agree with McCain