Larry Eichel reports...
We've all been wondering how Barack Obama's comments about small-town Pennsylvania would affect the horse race heading inton the primary next Tuesday.
The first polls are in, and the results are mixed -- although certainly not favorable for Obama.
Rasmussen has Clinton up 50-41 in a poll taken Monday. She had been up 48-43 last Monday. So a slight shift to Clinton there.
Quinnipiac has Clinton up 50-44 in a poll taken April 9 through April 13. Those numbers are identical to what Quinnipiac found a week earlier. Part of the new poll was taken before the controversy started and part after. But the pollsters say there was no indication of any shift in the later part of the polling.
American Research Group, which put out its poll Monday, showed the most dramatic change. That poll had the race even, 45-45, a week ago. But the new results had Clinton up 57-37. That would be a huge shift, one that strains credulity.
It was the Clinton campaign all along lying about NAFTA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOLEK2lr3CM&feature=related— gideon- He's never going to make up that 9-10% with his chronic foot in mouth disease.— MVKrum
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- Oh ok, I get it. I'm sort of following the numbers loosely because I don't believe anything until the day of... but these things can be farely accurate I guess.— MVKrum
- these polls are all over the place. I wonder if new voters or converts are included in these polls— sweetmama
- How nice it is. She's sure to win comfortably now - though one vote is enough. PA has the honor among all other states in our nation of getting Hillary on to the convention in Denver. Don't worry, the Obama people will fall into line.— Tammie
- Rarely do the polls reflect NEW registered voters or voters that have switched their party, so polls can give you a snap shot, however, what matter is the BALLOTS casted, so this could give Clinton a false sense of security because many of the new voters are young people that have never voted before and a good number them are Obama supporters, because I worked with many during the voter registration drive in PA and it was AMAZING the number that volunteered, and are enthusiatic to participate, because they finally relate to someone who represents "hope" and the ability to unite to change our counntry.— smcclair
- OBama has had misspeaks that have been blown out of context, however, he has faced these head on and not hidden behind lies and distractions. Clinton didn't get the big jump in polls that she was expecting, instead she got booed by PA manufactor workers that are tired and want to concentrate on the ISSUES that affect americans. She should be more worried about her LIES, TIES TO NAFTA, COLOMBIA, AND the BOSNIA tape that will be ran loop by loop by the Republicans, and they will attack her also about the money former Prez Clinton has received from China, and we will never know about her 2007 tax returns, what a political move. It would probably be as revealing as her white house papers that revealed that she WAS INDEED INVOLVE WITH PUSHING NAFTA, contrary to her public statements that she opposed it from the beginning. My point TAMMIE is that she won't be able to hold water in Denver. The only way she will make it to Denver, is to STEAL the election from Obama, who leads in delegates, and has the popular vote. I think the voters accross the nation are speaking loud and clear, or are You and the Clintons listening. I respect her staying in the race, just be fair and stop the lying and mudslinging. She can claim she "misspoke" but not Obama. Kitchen sink politics as usual.— smcclair
- These numbers don't mean a thing either way. As another poster said, it doesn't reflect newly registered voters or voters who have switched parties. Obama was up over 10% in NH and still lost. And for this to mean anything to Hillary she has to win BIG. If she doesn't, any ground she may have made up in PA will be completely lost in NC. If the numbers are true, Obama is up over 20%.— JanetT
- Hillary is completely against NAFTA and was even while Bill was Pres...: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=6892 and of course Hillary`s ALL for keeping jobs right here in the US...Penn and the campaign have gone separate ways...and BILL IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRES!...Hillary`s made it CLEAR that he will have absolutely no say in issues involving NAFTA...they couldn`t disagree more...and those boos were from BO followers...for a real lyer, check this out...: http://www.audacityofHypocrisy.com it`s too soon to know if she got a big boost in the polls...certainly, she`s gotten a small jump...the polls are going the same way they went in OH. and other large swing states...he closes possibly due to his new voters...but then her new voters propel her to a win...in Oh., it was 10 pts and would`ve been more if strong Clinton areas hadn`t been flooded out of the vote!— justme819
- the Rev. Wright, Lewis Ayers, Larry Sinclair, Louis Farahkan, the Black Panthers, Rezko, Sen. Meeks, Robert Malley, Auchi, Rashshid Khalidi, McPeaks, Michelle Obama...to the crux...i`d much rather have the Clintons there with maybe - and that`s a HUGE maybe - involved in a scandal which doesn`t affect the American people in any way...this is why the media ignores this garbage for what it is and will continue to ignore it as old news...without the media, the Pubs can`t use it effectively enough to beat her...which makes her far more electable...meamwhile, Hillary`s policies could very well have us in prosperous times after cleaning up the mess left by another Bush...the Clintons are getting quite good at that...compare that to BO and Friends...who, quite frankly, may be extremely dangerous to the American people...i know most Pubs feel this way...and half the Dem party...which =`s most of America...face it...McCain`s going to wipe the floor with Obama!...they`ll rip him apart with EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THe PEOPLE AND GROUPS LISTED ABOVE!!!— justme819
- Tammie, mighty nice of you to speak on behalf of all of Obama's supporters, but I wouldn't count your chickens before they hatch. That dog don't hunt.— expat4barack
- Looks like a job for Obama girl! By the way why were my other comments refused, where did I cross the line?— birdflewover
- As a Pennsylvania native who misses her life in a small Allegheny Mountain village, I pray that voters throughout the Commonwealth who are decent, honest and real will repudiate Obama's arrogance in attempting to characterize us as unthinking church-going gun-lovers.— patri
The Inauguration: Jan. 20 blog brings you coverage of President-elect Barack Obama's transition into office.
It's written by political journalists from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Send us your comments -- and news tips -- at this address.
Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
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