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From: Cafe, Election Central

The electability issue

By Frog Leg - February 17, 2008, 12:03PM

These results were released from Rasmussen this morning:

National:
Barack Obama leads John McCain 46% to 44% while McCain leads Clinton 49% to 42%

Pennsylvania:
Obama 49%
McCain 39%

McCain 44%
Clinton 42%

Oregon:
Obama 49%
McCain 40%

McCain 45%
Clinton 42%

It seems clear that Obama needs to bring up the electability issue. He should now be able to sell himself as the candidate most likely to beat McCain in the fall. In the end, for most Democrats, that will be all that matters. While the electability issue has not been large in the polls yet, there is some indication it is rising. Now may be time for Obama to cash in on this issue.

Comments (8)

Didn't we go down this road in the last election? And how did that work out for us??? "Mr Electability" wasn't such a great candidate, was he?

Posted by Hmmm
February 17, 2008 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink

I think there's a difference this time. People didn't settle on Kerry because he was leading a movement and reaching out to independents and republicans. It was a "sense" that someone with military service was needed due to the war.

This time Obama is generating excitement, not a duty to support him... as with Kerry. And not just excitement, but evidence of a campaign which far surpasses the competition. (also something we did not see with Kerry)

Posted by TheraP
February 17, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink

Kerry might not have worked out, but he still probably did better than the others did.

Posted by Frog Leg
February 17, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink

And we trust the polls. No?

Posted by Billy Glad
February 17, 2008 6:04 PM | Reply | Permalink

Much as I like Obama (and I voted for him in my primary), how he does in national polls or in red sate polls has little to do with his ultimate electability. The big question is whether he can win the electoral vote.

For example, it matters little whether he or Hillary wins the Texas primary. It's highly unlikely that either can win the state in the national election. And there are quite a few other states where it's unlikely that one or another of them can win. Some that might go for Obama might not go for Hillary, and vice versa.

One thing that might help Obama on the experience issue would be if he could give us some idea of the types of people he'd appoint as cabinet members. I wouldn't expect him to name names at this point, but if he could generate even the impression that he'd appoint well-experienced people, known for their integrity, that would help a lot.

I'd personally love to see Bill Richardson as Secretary of State and Sheldon Whitehouse as Attorney General.

Posted by Jake Bryan
February 17, 2008 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink

I think these polls, plus the NV and WA ones out last week, show that Obama is more electable.

Who really thinks a Dem can win in Nov if they are trying to HOLD WA, OR, NV, PA? There is no way. If the Dem candidate is forced to spend many resources in Blue States, they will win ZERO swing states. McCain would beat Clinton 370-170 (or worse, gulp) in the Electoral college. Obama could do just the opposite. And if Clinton loses that badly, say goodbye to the Senate and House majorities...and bye to congressmen like Barrow, Marshall, Shuler, Space, etc...

Posted by bravo6
February 18, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink