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 [1]story [1]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 [2]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 [3]if it thinks Obama wasn't hurt by Wright, citing a May 2 Monica [4]Daveyreport [4]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.