New Polls Show Obama's Lead Surging Over McCain | Voice of America - English
Two new public opinion polls give Democrat Barack Obama a sizable lead over Republican John McCain in the U.S.
One survey by the and Bloomberg News found Obama leading McCain by a margin of 49 to 37percent. Another poll earlier this week bymagazine putObama's lead at 15 points. Other recent surveys show McCain trailing by anywhere from three to six points. Politicalexperts say Obama's lead is likely due to increasing voter concernsabout the weakening U.S. economy, especially the rising cost of fuel. "Highgas prices and job losses, the economic recession, but more generally,the economic insecurity associated with globalization, the stagnantwages of most ordinary American households," said Thomas Mann, a political scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "I think all ofthat bodes well for Democrats in the campaign." Given theDemocrat's advantage on the economy, political strategists predictSenator McCain will focus on his experience in foreign policy andnational security. McCain sharply disagrees with Obama's plan to begin pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq shortly after taking office. "Ibelieve that we will withdraw over time," McCain said. "I believethat it will be set by facts on the ground, not by an artificialtimetable. And I believe we will come home with victory and honor, andnot with defeat." Public opinion polls have long showed mostAmericans do not believe the Iraq war was worth the cost. But thepolls also indicate they are divided over whether to withdraw U.S.troops before Iraq is stabilized. Obama says he favors a measured approach to pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq. "Wehave to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in," he said. "I have proposed getting one to two brigades, combatbrigades, out per month. At that rate, we are talking about maybe 16months to get our combat troops out." On Friday, Senator Obamawill make his first joint campaign appearance with former DemocraticParty rival Hillary Clinton. They will appear in the small town ofUnity, New Hampshire, where the two candidates each received 107 votesin January's primary, in which Senator Clinton won the total state vote. Clintonreturned to work in the Senate this week for the first time since shesuspended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama earlier thismonth.