Has Obama Really Overcome His Wright Problem? NYT Says Sure
The latest CBS/New York Times poll indicated good news for Democrats in general and Barack Obama in particular, showing Obama beating John McCain 51%-40% in a hypothetical matchup, and Hillary Clinton beating McCain 53%-41%. Adam Nagourney and Marjorie Connelly wrote it up for their front-page story Monday, pushing theperception that Obama had shook off his Rev. Jeremiah Wright problem. The headline spelled: it out"In Poll, Obama Survives Furor, But Fall Is Test."
Strangely, a newUSA Today/Gallup poll found nearly the opposite, showing Obama taking a big hit and Hillary leading him by seven points nationwide, 51%-44%. Two weeks ago Obama led the same poll by ten percentage points.
Unlike the Times, Gallup found the Rev. Jeremiah Wright to be a continuing thorn in Obama's side. USA Today reporter Susan Page summarized:
"One-third of likely voters say Obama's ties to Wright make them less likely to vote for him."
Blogger and journalist Mickey Kaus thinks the Times is whistling past the graveyard if it thinks Obama wasn't hurt by Wright, citing a May 2 Monica Daveyreport in which she found not a single Indianapolis liberal willing to say Jeremiah Wright's rantings changed their views of Obama.
After reading Nagourney's poll story favoring Obama, Kaus proclaimed it "now-iffy self-generated news on the front page" and a "bogus cocooning poll exercise." Perhaps we'll all have a better idea who got it right on Tuesday night.
