Clinton widens leads in USAT/Gallup & CNN polls over Obama - now 15 point lead

[papau]

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/05/clinton_widens_.html

Clinton widens leads in USAT/Gallup & CNN polls

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has widened her lead nationally over Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination to 15 percentage points from five points in mid-April, USA TODAY's Susan Page writes this evening. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-07-poll-2008_N.htm

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken over the weekend showed Clinton was the choice of 38% of the 491 Democrats surveyed -- up from 31% three weeks earlier. Obama was the choice of 23% -- down from 26%. (Margin of error: +/- five percentage points.)

The results nearly match those of a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/05/poll-clinton-gets-significant-boost.html also released today, which put Clinton's support among Democrats at 38% and Obama's at 24%.

In the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, Clinton's lead over Obama this year has been as wide as 19 points, before the narrowing to 5 points last month.>snip>

[madfloridian]

1. Don't you think the others should just drop out right now?

And save all their money and effort? Spend some time with their families.

[Rydz777]

2. Some are running for Vice President n/t

[David Dunham]

3. Hillary is pulling ahead; Obama is fading -- bye, bye

[papau]

5. LOL - no - my TBD hero is at least 6 months away from being chosen - but I do wonder why the changes

from month to month.

The publics' mind will not touch politics again until October - and all that had happen before October will be forgotten by all except us addicts.

But such large swings are curious/interesting to my inner mathematician.

Plus we may have a new GOP FIELD (Fred T, Newt) and perhaps a 3rd party (Bloomberg/Hagel) by then.

[liberal renegade]

4. Clinton/Obama

or vice versa....Unbeatable!

[madrchsod]

6. well shit i guess it`s decided

and that takes a load off my mind

[Captain Hilts]

7. It doesn't matter!!! nt

[Jimmy Hoops]

8. I think it does

Does anyone else think that an Obama/Hillary ticket is a more formidable combo than vice versa?

[simbrono]

9. Wow

I still thinks the best ticket to win is Kerry/Obama. I just honestly don't see the nation voting in Hilary.

[unhappycamper]

10. Hi simbrono!

Welcome to DU!! :hi:

[Broke Dad]

11. Hillary is going to stub her toe (and more) in Iowa

Iowa Democrats favor Edwards over Hillary and have her tied with Obama. In fact her numbers in Iowa have dropped after her visits here. I for one cannot support Hillary. Hillary has said one thing here in Iowa and voted another way in the Senate. Ethanol and Iraq come to mind. Hillary's call during the last debate for immediate air strikes after a terrorist attack bothers me too. Shoot first and ask questions later has worked soooo well for us the last six years. David Geffen nailed her after his fundraiser for Obama. Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton? I don't think so.

Time for change. Time for fresh ideas. Time for anybody but Hillary.

[provis99]

12. haven't past polls also shown Hillary is the candidate least likely to beat a Republican?

[Rwalsh]

13. It's a long way to November '08.

A lot can happen between now and then.

[jpwhite]

14. can't lose

We really can't lose. If Hillary can maintain this lead and she wins the nomination, she is better than anything the GOP has. But I could say the same for Edwards, Obama, or Richardson. I truly believe that there will be a democrat in the White House in January of 2009.

If it is Hillary she should make Obama the VP, John Edwards the attorney general, and Richardson should be the secretary of state. Possibly bring in Wesley Clark as the secretary of defense. With a cabinet like that we can get a lot of good things done.

James - [e-mail]

[PATRICK]

17. Why I am uneasy

Last time in 2004, the primary slate was almost ideal and the second tier was not so distant as not to have good impact. It only lacked Gore and Hillary to run the complete strength of the party. I would have backed with equal enthusiasm Kerry, Edwards, Dean or Clark. Two of them ended up on the ticket although Dean and Clark were taken out much too early to be healthy for the party. Of course the DNC and DLC both wanted a safe, quick and inexpensive show primary. This time the urge to edit out the competition and drama is as strong as the slate is troubling. We now have just three top tier candidates.

As a result of that and many other things I have not the same richness of exciting choices and some troubling reservations. Gore, again, is not running. Neither is Clark and Dean is doing a very necessary service where he is. Each season is different and this year is not unlike others by any means. I guess my dream choice would have been like last time with the addition of a few more and the process itself MORE suited to having that slate hold together until the last state. The stampede of frontloading, too late and chaotic, is not a solution, and money money is the root of all the particular evils as well. I am not personally confident or certain of the outcome or the DNC "plans" to improve it. The talk of dream cabinets and Veeps is pretty ordinary, but the innate unease with this most critical of all democratic choices is not an improvement over 2004. And the very idea that this is (another) sure thing is the least reassuring of all.

On edit: so in saying all this it is much more an issue than just Hillary, but that goes with perceived frontrunner status, standard for anyone.

[RBInMaine]

15. Hillary is VERY VERY risky!

I like Hillary, but once again I ask Democrats to look at the big picture. Here's the reality: Hillary's NATIONAL approval ratings show more negative than positive. She is rather "old school" at a time when people want something new and fresh. Hate to say this, but REALITY is that too many people just won't support a woman President at this time, and, I fear, especially not this particular woman who comes off too cold and calculating. She just ain't no Bill. There is a long time to go here. Let's not annoint Hillary the way the R's annointed Bush in 2000. I for one support Edwards because as a southerner who hasn't spent his whole life in Washington I see him, with the right running mate (i.e. Evan Bayh, Wes Clark, or maybe Obama) as having the best NATIONAL chance to win. We are going to be up against Guiliani, McCain, or Romney, or some combination. All VERY formidable, especially Guiliani. We MUST expand our electoral map into the midwest, west, and even the south if possible. Hillary is a BIGTIME risk here! What red territory does she turn blue???????? Folks, please think long and hard about this. Yes she has a lot of money and has a good campaign team, but there is a very, very real risk that she just can't win NATIONALLY. Let's give all the candidates a fair look and think about this long and hard. We can't stand to lose yet another presidential race.

[pkarsh]

16. Hillary wants to import more foreign workers

I heard on the news on my local Air America affiliate this morning that Hillary spoke to Silicon Valley executives and said she wants to allow more H1B visas, meaning that she wants to import more foreign "high-tech" workers. Those of us who work in software know exactly what this is about.

This Democrat was not a fan before and certainly isn't now!