FL poll: McCain 50, Obama 45

Public Policy Polling robo poll has John McCain leading Barack Obama in Florida, 50% to 45%: "Each candidate has expanded his share of the vote within his own party over the last month but there’s been a five-point shift in party identification toward the Republican side, perhaps because of momentum from a successful convention last week.

"Barack Obama has dropped a few points each time we’ve polled Florida over the course of the summer,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. “Virginia and Colorado may end up as the states more critical to his Electoral College strategy this fall if the trend continues.”

"John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate appears to be a hit with Florida voters. 45% of respondents said it made them more likely to support McCain while just 36% said the choice of Joe Biden makes them more likely to choose Obama."

Comments

Bye bye Obama,
Now run home to yo Mamma

[Country First, Hollywood Last!]

This actually says something significant. Most Republicans won't answer an IVR based poll. The real figures are probably much higher FOR McCain/Palin!

NObama, NoBiden, No How, No Way!

Polls have been useless and unreliable for over two years due to the advent of cell phones. They just haven’t told you pinheads cause you keep writing the checks. The media plays up the “it’s too close to call” angle in order to sell the soap.

After the past 8-years, if McCain/Palin actually win, it’s because of one of two things… one; the election was rigged… or two; America as a collective… has completely flipped its lid. Either way; we’re done as a nation, and may God help us all.

"HELP; I’ve Palin and I can’t get up!”

Polls are meaningless...

That is, unless Barack Obama is ahead, and then they are well-researched and very accurate.

Obama IS ahead... and by a wide margin. Don’t blame me because you soft-skulls buy into the media hype and rhetoric, just so the can sell soap. The polls are useless, and have been for quite some time. They can’t poll cell phones and they been using the same list of 500 for about 20-years now.

It’s not my fault you morons continue to pay for bs!

[Obama/Osama=BS]

People are finally seeing how the liberal spin doctors don't have an answer for the antithesis (Sarah Palin). The harder they try to trash her the more they look like what they really are which is a hypocritical liberals.

Obama who has radical ties to just about everything radical is finally stumbling, calling himself a Muslim in an ABC interview with George Stephanopolis, and now Bill O'reilly raking him over the coals and the Republicans separating themselves from George Bush has dealt the Obama / Biden liberal quest for office a staggering left hook.

The Only way to for the Obama liberals to get back in this race is to dig up some evil dirt (which doesn't exist). But they miust be careful, because more eveil exist on the side of evil LIBERALS than it does on the CONSERVATIVE side.

A vote for Obama is a vote for Socialism and there is no denying it!
If you can't see it you are either a communist, feminist, criminal or just an outright idiot.

[Will]

McCain pending a real big gaffe or scandal will take FL. The real swings states in 2008 will be VA, OH, NV, CO, NH.

McCain needs them all except NH, or he loses.

A vote for McSame/She-God ’08! Is a vote for the death of more young American men and women in the interest of corporate profit and daddy’s revenge!

A translation of the 2:23 post for those of us who don't do drugs!

GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… What’s my opinion today Mr. Hanity?… GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… What’s my opinion today Mr. Limbaugh?… mmmmm, this kool aid is scrumptious… GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… follow the little red lemmings; follow the little red lemmings…

… dinks

Obama will drop like a rock when the news gets out about who he really is. Most people have not been paying attention.

His pick of Biden was a disaster. OK Biden is not a bad person, just a party hack. He offers nothing to Obama except "insider" credentials.

McCain probably could not have done better with anyone else. Palin is an "outsider" and just what the doctor ordered for the cesspool we call our nations capitol.

Many liberal mover and shakers are saddened by the prospect of a White House occupied by people that don't party the night away for another 8 years. No fancy cocktail parties and incestuous gatherings congratulating each other on their latest fleecing of the taxpayer.

I pick McCain/Palin 51/44 in Nov.

I am not asking for anyone to agree; but I am interested in your thoughtful opinion.

who is this 2:29 person?

He/She or he-she is very annoying and offers absolutely ZERO to the discourse.

[Ignatius]

Hey 1:57,

The advent of cell phones was 2 years ago?

I've had a cell phone in some form or fashion since 1992.

That being said, I don't disagree with you on the point that the pollsters may be missing the small segment of society that has eschewed land lines in favor of mobile devices. But I would do some more research on the following names; Harvey Gantt and Douglas Wilder. Look for the issues that arose from polling data in those races, these issues have the potential to more than offset the small, cell-phone only segment of society.

As for your theories regarding the reasons behind a McCain/Palin victory, I would argue the converse. If Obama wins, I believe this nation has flipped its collective lid. This guy is an absolute charlatan whose "ideas" (although I have heard relatively few specifics) fly in the face of everything that has made this country great.

But if this country democratically decides, in a free and fair election, that it favors collectivism and a disincentive to produce over capitalism and free markets then fine - he'll be President and I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Because I will be forced to share more than half of what I make with the federal government I won't work as hard as I do now nor will I add any staff to my small business for the same reasons. But I won't badmouth him (too much) or move to France or anything because he'll be the President and, despite my opposition, the office deserves my respect.

But I may be in the minority in thinking the electorate is sufficiently intelligent to see through the rhetoric and charisma and recognize the empty suit that Barack Hussein Obama truly is. Get past your hatred of George Bush for a while and listen, really listen to what Obama is saying. It's scary.

Don't worry folks, our friends in Palm Beach will pull this one out again.

Too bad we don't have Buddy Johnson as state supervisor of elections.

Rasmussen is the most accurate poll out there and it showed a tie. I tend to believe Rasmussen is more correct. This poll seemed to be a rushed response to try to stop the concerns. Campaigns often have many poll friends, i.e. republicans have Frank Luntz, that continuously do polls that they can release to take the focus away from any other independent poll findings that is released that is not liked. This seems to be a cover story poll as opposed to the what is really occuring which is Florida seems to be trending blue this year.

Ignatius = CEO of Lairs For Hire, Inc.

2:41 is absolutely correct. Especially when this poll is listed as a "robo-poll". Is that when you get campaign staffers to start calling the same day to get a result you want to leak to the media. This poll is truely not valid. St. Pete times should not have printed this. Its clearly spin.

Real Clear Politics (above on right of this webpage) has McCain up 3 in Florida and 2.7 nationwide.

I used to think that voting should be reserved for those with a stake in the country i.e. Landowners / Taxpayers. If your total tax burden is $0 or less, you can not vote.

Seriously, why do we allow people to vote themselves a raise? I mean really now, only Congress can do that!

LEFTISTS PLEASE NOTE: Paying less tax is not voting yourself a raise; it is PAYING LESS TAX.

I would be willing to change my position if we could just have a single litmus test for potential voters:

An IQ test

GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… What’s my opinion today Mr. Hanity?… 2;35, Let me say it for you...

GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… What’s my opinion today Mr. Limbaugh?… mmmmm, this kool aid is scrumptious… GulpityGulpity, gulpgulpgulp… follow the little red lemmings; follow the little red lemmings…

… dope

[Country First, Hollywood Last!]

SPT shouldn't print spin? You MUST BE KIDDING!!! Stop gulping the O-Kool-Aid!

SPT only Spins Obama!!! They have a lovefest for the left. They even love the WAR MONGER Biden who votes for Iraq War and wants to break up Iraq into separate nations, guaranteeing war in that area forever!

Give me a break 2:45.

NObama, NoBiden, No How, No Way!

Rasmussen which was more recent and more accurate than the RCP numbers shows a "tie" in Florida and the Dems commanding the Independent vote in the 50s% to 30s% for the Reps. News sure to have made the McCain camp very nercous, i.e. th equickly put togethter and leaked "robo-poll" (a robo-poll is a waste of time to print results of. Its essentially campaign "phone-banking")

St Pete times should have this same disclaimer below that the Tampa Tribune includes. Robo polls are at best-very questionable.

Tamp Trib disclaimer:
As always when we report robopoll results, the caveat: Pollsters who use traditional telephone polling claim the automated-dial polls, in which respondents answer recorded questions by punching the keypad, aren’t as accurate. Pollsters who do use them say they are. And, of course, error margins are always larger for a subsection of the poll sample, such as white voters.

2:55 The drugs should have worn off during the last forty years. You must have really polluted your body in the 60's. Do us a favor, and reject being an organ donor; they are no good to anyone.

If you knew anything about anything; you would know that the greatness and charity of our country has always been in its people; not the government.

Less than 100 years ago, there were no income taxes and somehow we survived.

Families took care of their own. Churches and other Charitable Organizations stepped in and picked up the slack. The government was not in the robin hood business and rightfully so. Today, the EVIL RICH give more to charity than in any time in our history.

But don't let facts cloud your mind further; it has enough to deal with already.

Now go steal a magic marker from someone and write up a new sign for your spot on Nebraska Ave. It should read:

I did too many drugs in the 60's and I am an idiot. Please help!

Let us sing:

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

Gulp it down minion... just keep gulping it down... mmmmmmm!

Lets do a poll of our own. You are required to answer all 3 questions:

1) Do you consider yourself liberal, moderate or conservative?

2) Who will you vote for in Nov?

3) Was 9/11 an inside job?

1) Liberal
2)Obama
3) Yes

1) moderate
2) Obama
3) we'll never know

1-Liberal 2-Obama 3-YES

Another Poll:

How many Liberals does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

ZERO Lightbulbs are Outlawed!

This is Barack Hussein Obama and I Approve this Message

[Hill baby, Hill]

How long 'til Biden develops a sudden illness and Hillary replaces him?

If you were her, would you refuse?

Obama's judgement is just...BAD.

Weak ego, weak candidate, and his candidacy is sputtering.

Throw out Obama, put in Hillary!

2:23 I'm a feminist. And I vote for McCain/Palin. The Ds only pay lip service to equality. They dissed Hillary. The Rs DID put their money where their mouth is.

2:52 AMEN!

I think Hillary would not accept it now. She has her eye on the big prize.

[Buzzard]

On another subject, it is fortunate for either candidate that Freddie Mac was taken over by the feds before the election. Otherwise, they would have been blamed for "socialist tendencies". Ironic isn't it that the present administration can add that to their list of achievements while in office. If they can do it for mortgages, why not socialized medicine as well? What a wonderful parting gift that would be for the American electorate!

3:33

An interesting position. May I ask, why are you not afraid of McCain/Palin taking away a womans right to choose?

The Dems have people like you labeled as single issue voters.

True...the nation is learning Obama has no substance and is just parroting the most liberal views of Soros and DailyKos. He's damaged goods now.

Hillary should just let Obama lose and give McCain Palin a run for their money in 2012.

3:39

This is why Hillary is not going overboard in support of BHO.

She knows McCain will not run for re-election and it will be Hillary vs. Palin in 2012.

Even I am not a big fan of HRC, she is a major improvement over this guy.

I just wish she would divorce Bill and move on.

[Ignatius]

2:52 and 2:55 are both right,

Even libertarians will agree that some level of federal government is necessary in our lives if for no other reason than to provide for the common defense.

But I like to look at facts. There are indeed Americans who have $0 tax liability. The bottom 40% of wage earners pay negative 3.8% in federal income tax, and Obama wants to reduce their tax burden. The top 40% of wage earners pay 99.4% of the income taxes in this country. By the way, the top 10% of us whose taxable income begins at $108,000 per year, account for 73% of the taxes collected but we apparently are not paying our fair share and Obama wants to distort the situation even more. That's right, 10% of us pay 73% of the federal income taxes but somehow this is unfair.

That leaves the middle 20% who pay, collectively, 4.4%.

Also, in 2001, the last fiscal year before the Bush tax cuts went into effect, the government collected $1.991 trillion in taxes. In FY 2008, the government is projected to collect $2.521 trillion. So, Bush cut our taxes yet federal tax receipts have increased by $530 billion (or an aggregate of $1.9 trillion from 2002-2008). The government spends about 1/3 of this money on need based aid (medicaid, welfare, etc.) so that means Bush's tax cuts resulted in $167 BILLION more just for poor people in 2008.

Let me explain it another way, wealthy people now pay LESS in taxes and the federal government collects MORE money and 33 cents of every extra dollar goes to poor people. How is cutting taxes bad for federal programs? Maybe I'm not that bright but the facts and my math make it look like lowering taxes results in more tax revenue wich leads to more need based aid.

And our GDP has grown from $10.3 trillion in 2001 to $14.3 trillion in 2008 by the way.

Check it out on www.gpoaccess.gov if you think this is a result of kool-aid drinking.

[Bush/McCain = More National Debt]

This year’s Bush/McCain budget deficit will hit $407 billion and will increase to $438 billion in fiscal 2009, according to new projections released Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office.

The $438 billion figure would be a record in dollar terms, but not when measured as a percentage of gross domestic product, the method preferred by economists. The old record was $412.7 billion in fiscal 2004 Bush/McCain budget.

Hillary is totally benefitting from this. Her support for BHO is lukewarm at best.

Where's Lanny Davis been? He's eerily quiet.

Perhaps a coup to take the nomination from Obama, THIS year?

Another Poll:

How many Republicans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

ZERO --- that’s what illegals are for… well, that and mowing our clubhouse lawn!

This is John “I want your kids to die for profit” McSame, and my daycare nurse Approved this Message

Cell phones have no statistical relevance to political polling. AT&T and Michigan State completed a study indicating no statistically significant difference in the ownership of cells in lieu of land-line phones for any political party (versus the political makeup of the U.S.). The same was true for the 18-25 age group (college age). I'll try to find the link to the study and post it--it was completed about a year ago.

3:46

Since the Congress, you know the legislative branch of government, writes and agrees on the budget; how exactly is the president responsible for its content?

Your statement is like saying that Clinton was responsible for the balanced budget we had in the 90's.

Watch Sesame Street again; they have a little short on how a bill becomes law. You might find it educational.

"Ignatius" is your typical Ill-informed Delusional Indignant Opposition Troll… aka: Idiot!

"Cell phones have no statistical relevance to political polling."

Love,

Political Polling Consultants who want you morons to keep writing checks for worthless data!

[Democrats = More National Debt]

This year’s Democratically-controlled Congess budget deficit will hit $407 billion and will increase to $438 billion in fiscal 2009, according to new projections released Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office.

The $438 billion figure would be a record in dollar terms, but not when measured as a percentage of gross domestic product, the method preferred by economists. The old record was $412.7 billion in fiscal 2004's budget.

The deficit is projected to be larger under the Obama economic plans than the one of McCain!

[Gene Smith]

"there’s been a five point shift in party identification toward the Republican side"

Means they screwed up their sampling and this is the result they got. I'm just guessing here that a poll with a sample of 10% more Republicans than it should have would give us a 10% McCain lead?

Guessing aka assuming.

Polls are "right" when they serve you, "wrong" and explained away when they don't.

Obama's campaign is begging for cash in NYC and Illinois. Donations and volunteers are being chided for not doing enough for The One.

McCain Palin are US