Fun with Gallup Poll Math: Obama 48% McCain 41% Today

[Gore1FL]

Todays Gallup Poll has Obama up yet another point over McCain. 48%-41%

To put this in a frame of reference:

In 2004 over 121,480,000 people voted in the race for president.

7% of that = 8,503,600 voters

This is:

a little more than the population of New York City.

about the total populations of LA, Chicago and Houston combined

about the total populations of Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas,San Jose and Detroit combined


Another way to look at this:

This is about 300,000 votes short of the total needed to tie in all the 2004 Red States combined. (though obviously these numbers are not apportioned in that manner)

[CountAllVotes]

1. what can I say but ...

7% of registered voters is a large and statistically significant sample size and also, likely credible as well! :D :D :D :party:

GOBAMA!!!

:dem: :kick: !!!

[Youphemism]

2. They suggested this number might keep going up during the next 3 weeks /nt

[Gore1FL]

3. Sounds good to me!

Shortly thereafter we'll get the VP bump, and shortly after that the Convention bump.

Who is the "they" that you speak of?

[Youphemism]

4. Yeah, I'm sorry, I was trying to think of who said that myself...

I think it was someone being interviewed by Matthews, in the context of Hillary on the VP slot. It might have been Chuck Todd. Maybe someone else reading this can remember. The suggestion was that the number should go up between now and July 4th, and that if it didn't, or it took a dip, then Obama might need to reconsider Clinton for VP.

I think this is one reason the die-hard Hillary contingent is still making such a fuss. Some of them are still playing for that, and might come around after the decision is made one way or another.

Sorry I can't recall better. I usually try to quote sources, but it gets harder and harder once you get into your 40s.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. I was talking to a Republican activist today and he said that he isn't happy with McCain

[Gore1FL]

6. They had to pick from a pretty awful field