Check out the new ABC/WaPo poll. Obama’s up 10, which is not really new, but the internals are devastating for McCain.
Overall, Obama is leading 53 percent to 43 percent among likely voters, and for the first time in the general-election campaign, voters gave the Democrat a clear edge on tax policy and providing strong leadership.
McCain has made little headway in his attempts to convince voters that Obama is too “risky” or too “liberal.” Rather, recent strategic shifts may have hurt the Republican nominee, who now has higher negative ratings than his rival and is seen as mostly attacking his opponent rather than addressing the issues that voters care about. Even McCain’s supporters are now less enthusiastic about his candidacy, returning to levels not seen since before the Republican National Convention.
Conversely, Obama’s pitch to the middle class on taxes is beginning to sink in; nearly as many said they think their taxes would go up under a McCain administration as under an Obama presidency, and more see their burdens easing with the Democrat in the White House.
Josh Marshall adds a couple more points:
On who’s the stronger leader: Obama 54%, McCain 40%. Who better understands the economic problems people in this country are having: Obama 58%, McCain 28%. Given that McCain’s entire campaign is based on his leadership credentials and that we’re in the throes of an historic economic crisis, I don’t know which of those two numbers are more devastating for McCain.
