FL race boils down to granny v grandkid

Who wins Florida and the White House may boil down to a struggle between grandma and her grandkids. There is a stark generation gap in this election. John McCain is winning over seniors, Barack Obama is winning the youngest voters, and the repercussions could extend well past November.

"This may be the first generational election in recent history," said Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac University's Polling Institute. "This is the first election where the split by age is so dramatic.''

"If you're Obama, you're encouraged but you're also scared to death,'' Republican pollster Neil Newhouse said of the recent polls. "Your victory depends on a huge margin and turnout among 18- to 34-year-olds, who are historically the least likely to go to the polls."

Story here.

Comments

No one will vote for a racist like Barack Obama who consistently plays the race card. Not even the 18-34 year olds.
How sad & desperate Obama has turned.

Barack Obama polls dropping like a rock:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109177/Gallup-Daily-Obama-45-McCain-44.aspx

[Granny]

If Granny wants to be able to afford her prescriptions and be able to buy something to eat besides cat food then she should vote for Obama.

McCain will leave her to wither on the vine.

Another day and more troubling polling data for Obama:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109180/Gallup-Daily-McCain-Obama-Remain-Tied.aspx

BARACK OBAMA WANT TO RAISE TAXES SENIORS!!

BARACK OBAMA WANT TO RAISE TAXES ON SENIORS!!

[McCain Dishonest!]

For a man who will turn 72 this month, McCain is a surprisingly immature politician—erratic, impulsive and subject to peer pressure from the last knucklehead who offers him advice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-u5mDZfrLw

[McCain Dishonest!]

NEWSWEEK:
BETWEEN THE LINES
Jonathan Alter
Where Have You Gone, John?

His zesty attacks on corporate greed and inspiring plans for national service are no more.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/150477

[Michael Lasala]

I am an independant voter. I have looked at both sides extensively. Anyone who is keeping up to date with this election can see that Se. McCain is running a dirty campaign. Everytime McCain is on T.V. he bashes obama instead of telling us his views. It is clear we need to change the way this country is one and right now it looks like barack obama stands for that change.

[Rydermike]

Just another reason to raise the voting age to 35 , same as requiered to run for president.(should be same for being a teacher too!)
If for no other reason to actually mature , and get real life experience upon which to base key life decisions.Whether or not people realize it , voting IS A KEY LIFE DECISION , after all politions are basically a bew set of parents , no matter what you think of your birth parents , the new set(s) are voted in to make decisions that can alter your life .... sometimes drastically .Dems just want to control your life from cradle to grave , after all one leading one , once said " it take's a village.....to raise a kid , so much for 2 active and caring parents!! VOTE FOR JOHNNY!!!! Besides ever met or heard of an honest polititian from ILLINOIS???? I didn't thing so ! Last Gov is in prison , current one to be enroute soon!

Anyone following this campaign closely should clearly see Barack Obama is nothing more than a liberal democrat with no experience that would be dangerous to America. He has radical friends and is clearly a racist no matter if he is Muslim or not.

[Corruption Brigade]

Chicago politics is known for corruction.

More information is coming on the Barack Obama & Tony Rezko relationship.

[It's not your parents GOP anymore.]

It's not your parents GOP anymore.

What happened to the Republican Party? It has been hijacked by the Oral Roberts congregation and James Dobson crowd among others.

I want the moderate, fiscally responsible Republican Party of Dwight Eisenhower to return to power.

[wedd]

I am an independent 23 year old voter. I like most of my friends will not vote for Obama or McCain. Why?
Obama has no voting record and panders to everyone..McCain is just out of touch with reality. For most people who are really paying attention they are just hoping that the Democrats will at least get the House and the Senate & people will wake up that both parties do not know what they are doing.

FYI: McCain you have to talk about the issues and Obama you have to realize you are the one with issues you never dealt with

So funny how Barack Obama's spirtual advisor, long-term pastor, and the person who baptized his children is a raging racist. However, Barack knew nothing about this. To me, this a blatant lie.

Now he's claiming that McCain is playing the race card?

Republican or Democrat, we all need to thing about Barack Obama's roots- where he was and who he associated with 10-15 years ago, what he said, what he did, etc.

I imagine in a couple months or so the third party groups will expose what the media refuses to; then our only choice will be McCain (for better or worse).

[Bunny]

Dear St. Pete Times,
Please get someone in here to edit these comments. Deadspin.com should not have more civility than the Times.

Thanks!

'Cause old people are racists and I think there is a very high level of shame that the oldest generation has in regards to the babyboomers. The greatest generations of all time raised a bunch of apathetic a-holes.

[Joe]

Commenters jump when McCain blows his dog whistle. I don't need to read the news to know McCain's latest smear attack on Obama, I can just read comments here. For people who ostensibly read, there sure are a lot of McCain supporters who seem to lack knowledge about Obama. Instead, they bark the latest soundbite about Obama when McCain blows that whistle. People, how about entertaining us by at least trying to provide a criticism that's factual?

Dick Morris' recent article is more focused on the age and gender issues. He discusses a recent Fox national poll showing Obama having problems with two key demographic groups,namely woman in the 40-50 and 50 and older groups. This may be a hang-over effect of the primary, which Obama may be able to address by the convention, or it may worsen depending somewhat on what Hillary decides to do.

Most astute political observers I know applaud Obama for running an excellent campaign and for his fund raising process. In contrast, McCain gets poor marks in both areas. Add to that the fawning press coverage of Obama and his early advertising and conventional wisdom suggests that Obama should be pulling away. But, he is not.

It is possible that, as voters get to know Obama better, that they will become willing to invite him into their homes and the election will break strongly in his direction. It is also possible that the Clintons' were correct in their argument that Obama is unelectable for the reasons that Hillary articulated. It is,of course, way to early to predict what will happen, but it is interesting to speculate....

zenator

Comments like 9:22 is why Obama is going to lose.

With Florida 's enormous senior populatio, coupled with younger voters' traditional staying home, McCain will be a shoo-in.

[Plubius]

Eight years ago I was prepared to vote for Sen. McCain before the Bush/Rove attack machine brought him down. Now there is no way he will get my vote because he has become an intergal part of the Bush/Rove attack machine. Poor John- he look's more like Dole every day.

You know, it's usually people obsessed by race who raise the red flag of the so-called "race card." It's laughable for caucasians to scream "race card" in reference to a black man pointing out the sipmple fact that he's black. It's like screaming "age card" everytime McCain points out he's "older than dirt." Does that make him an ageist? Please grow up and get a better platform!!!!

[The Doctor]

Barack has to be worrying about the lastest poll numbers. Middle America is waking up and seeing him for what he is....a racist who has no international experience and someone who associates himself with individuals who hold our country in contempt (including his wife!).
Barack will lose!

What exactly is McCain for?

He never talks about his policies he just takes pokes at Obama.

What does McCain stand for?

[Jeff]

These Polls showing how big the margin is with younger voters is terribly out of place. I am 24 year old and talk to anyone I can get my hands on in this age group and there seem to be just as many if not more young voters that will be Voting for Mccain.

Don't blame seniors for Obama being a RACIST?
He is a racist all by his good old self. As Ludacris wants, we Americans WILL NOT let Obama & his clan paint the WHITE HOUSE black.

Ask young people what Obama has ever done to qualify for the Presidency and most will have no clue.

That is why Barack Obama is not ready to be President. He's not even ready to be a U.S. Senator.

I am a young voter and my vote will go to McCain.

You have to be kidding. They might be seniors but they are not all stupid. I bet there are very few seniors who are happy seeing the gas prices at 4.00/gal, raising prices, falling investments and tax breaks only for the rich. High fuel, poor economy, raising prices all equal weak dollars and even higher gas prices to come. King George and his Republican buddies had a surplus coming into office and a hot economy now we have the biggest deficit ever and looking at a recession. Thank you Republicans, what is the Republican answer to all the problems? Make the tax cuts for the rich permanent and that is what McCain will do. Don't encourage business to invest in our country, out source more jobs and give all our money to China and Iraq. Better join the rest of your senior friends and go back to work if you vote for another Republican. Look at the stock market and you should be thankful that the King didn't pass a law investing our social security in it. If that passed you wouldn't get a dime for retirement and would have to work until you die. Know what? That's what George and the other Republicans would like to see.

[Savvy Senior]

Seniors want safety & security. The "Investment Advisors" who are constantly buying lunch for roomfuls of senior in Florida know that. So do savyy pols.

Obama does NOT represent safety & security. He personifies RISK (will the White House really be painted black as Ludacris raps? Who knows?)

Seniors abhor Risk. That capsulizes Obama's problem with this key demographic.

What exactly is Obama for?

He never talks about his policies he just takes pokes at McCain.

What does Obama stand for?