FOX News Poll: Wright Ties Hurt Obama Campaign

[no name 1]

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

By Ernie Paicopolos

As the Rev. Jeremiah Wright travels around the country on a speaking tour and as Sen. Barack Obama tries to distance himself from the controversial pastor, Americans are making some harsh judgments on Wright’s message, according to the latest FOX News poll.

On the surface, a majority of Americans (52 percent) says they care very little or not at all about the relationship between Obama and Wright, and four in 10 say that relationship would have no impact on their vote; however, a look below the surface shows how much this issue is influencing the presidential race.

Those disinclined to vote for the Illinois senator based on his ties to Wright (44 percent) outweigh those who would be inclined to vote for him (12 percent) by a wide margin. While the margin is somewhat closer among Democrats (36 percent disinclined; 16 inclined), the toll on Obama is still quite severe.

And, despite that the bulk of independent voters (49 percent) says the issue would make no difference to their vote, the lessened likelihood to vote for Obama outpaces greater likelihood by a nearly 8-to-1 margin (39 percent to 5 percent).

African-American voters are closely divided on this question. A slim plurality (21 percent) says the controversy would make them more inclined to vote for Obama, while nearly as many (18 percent) say they’d be less likely.

The national telephone poll was conducted for FOX News by Opinion Dynamics Corp. among 900 registered voters from April 28 to April 29. The poll has a 3-point error margin.

On the "bottom line" question of whether Wright has damaged the Obama campaign, seven in 10 (70 percent) think he has — while nearly as many Democrats (64 percent) and almost three of four independents (71 percent) agree with that assessment.

A slim majority of African-American voters (54 percent) does not believe Wright has damaged Obama’s campaign, while a substantial 43 percent believe he has.

When asked to gauge whether Wright’s message is "pro" or "anti" American, the result is clear-cut. More than half (52 percent) judge the Chicago pastor’s message as anti-American, while 14 percent see it as pro-American. About one-third of Americans either can’t decide the nature of the message (21 percent) or think it is a mixture of pro- and anti- American sentiment (13 percent).

Among Democrats, the results show a plurality (46 percent) views the reverend’s message as anti-American and 18 percent see it as pro-American. Similarly, independents view Wright’s message as anti-American by a 42 percent to 12 percent margin.

African-American voters are more likely to see the pastor’s message as pro-American — by a 34 percent to 25 percent margin.

In a slightly different vein, respondents were asked to determine whether Wright is promoting a message of racial tolerance or one that is anti-white.

Forty-seven percent of Americans take the position the message is anti-white, with 16 percent viewing the message as racially tolerant. This is essentially mirrored in the sentiment of Democrats — who also see Wright’s message as more anti-white (41 percent) than racially tolerant (19 percent).

African-American voters think Wright is promoting a message that is racially tolerant (27 percent) more than they think it is an anti-white message (21 percent).

Ernie Paicopolos is a Principal at Opinion Dynamics Corp.

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[GaryC 7]

What, now you believe Faux News?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What, now you believe Faux News?

She'd take it from Rush himself as long as it is what she wants to hear. It's the good ole' **-the-source-and-focus-on-the-message approach. Desperate people are like that sometimes.

[no name 1]

What, now you believe Faux News?

[Sheriff Uling 3]

What, now you believe Faux News?

They are entertaining, but extremely bias...

[HAL 9000 96]

God lets talk about an exercise in the obvious. It really is unfortunate that "so many" voters would let themselves be swayed by such pettiness, but then again, we do deserve whom we elect, inclusive of our own ignorance in its various forms.

[Dan J 277]

God lets talk about an exercise in the obvious. It really is unfortunate that "so many" voters would let themselves be swayed by such pettiness, but then again, we do deserve whom we elect, inclusive of our own ignorance in its various forms.

The only reason why Wright is even an issue is that we have unresolved issue of class and race in this country. If we didnt, he would just be looked at like a loonie and no one would care.

If we can't get passed issues like this, we do get what we deserve.

[HAL 9000 96]

God lets talk about an exercise in the obvious. It really is unfortunate that "so many" voters would let themselves be swayed by such pettiness, but then again, we do deserve whom we elect, inclusive of our own ignorance in its various forms.

The only reason why Wright is even an issue is that we have unresolved issue of class and race in this country. If we didnt, he would just be looked at like a loonie and no one would care.

If we can't get passed issues like this, we do get what we deserve.

Yep. Pathetic how it becomes a pawn to the petty, though. We do deserve what we elect.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

God lets talk about an exercise in the obvious. It really is unfortunate that "so many" voters would let themselves be swayed by such pettiness, but then again, we do deserve whom we elect, inclusive of our own ignorance in its various forms.

Like this...(which was blitzed in the media by Rev. Wright coverage) Written by Thomas Friedman who is by no means, liberal...

The McCain-Clinton gas holiday proposal is a perfect example of what energy expert Peter Schwartz of Global Business Network describes as the true American energy policy today: “Maximize demand, minimize supply and buy the rest from the people who hate us the most.”

Good for Barack Obama for resisting this shameful pandering.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=1802295

[kaydee457 13]

What I see in this thread is lots of snobbery by lots of MSNBC fans that only want one POV.

BTW, anyone going to view Hillary on the FOX News Factor tonight?

Should be interesting in that finally she'll be asked questions by people that aren't trying to engineer the next president of the USA! (my apologies to the gushing schoolgirl, Chris Mathews. Chris it's okay to be gay and in love with Barack!)

Talk about bias- CNN and MSNBC are as far to the left as it gets, sheesh!

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

chris matthews has been absolutely barfferific during this campaign - saying Obama's campaign is like "the new testament." Imagine the howls if a Fox news anchor compared Bush's earlier campaigns to the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

chris matthews has been absolutely barfferific during this campaign - saying Obama's campaign is like "the new testament." Imagine the howls if a Fox news anchor compared Bush's earlier campaigns to the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

He has? I haven't watched him much, but the times I have, I didn't get the impression that he's decided to become a spokesman for Obama's campaign.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Steve - he is as biased as Hannity. If you have any doubts check out the profile of him in the New York Times magazine from a few weeks back.

[GaryC 7]

chris matthews has been absolutely barfferific during this campaign - saying Obama's campaign is like "the new testament." Imagine the howls if a Fox news anchor compared Bush's earlier campaigns to the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

He has? I haven't watched him much, but the times I have, I didn't get the impression that he's decided to become a spokesman for Obama's campaign.

Oh God Steven you should watch him sometime. It's disgusting. All attempts at objectivity have been thrown away.

[HAL 9000 96]

chris matthews has been absolutely barfferific during this campaign - saying Obama's campaign is like "the new testament." Imagine the howls if a Fox news anchor compared Bush's earlier campaigns to the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

He has? I haven't watched him much, but the times I have, I didn't get the impression that he's decided to become a spokesman for Obama's campaign.

Neither do I get that impression. It may be that I don't watch much MSNBC as much as FNN. I should live up to others' apparent telepathic powers a little better.