The Harris Poll describes the president as “far ahead” and contains dire news for the GOP challenger. The sitting Democratic president, coming off a rough first term including foreign crises and a moribund economy, leads across the board.
“In the suburbs,” the poll says the president leads “by a massive 66-30 percent. Voters between 50 and 64 years of age prefer” the incumbent “by 63-34 percent, and he has now soared to a 67-25 percent lead with those who are 65 and over.” Even among voters calling themselves conservatives, the president “has a substantial 57-39 percent edge. Together,” the Harris poll notes, “these groups of voters form the base of the modern Republican Party.” Indeed.
The president also has a huge edge among swing voters: Small-town voters prefer him 60-35. College educated voters back him 61-35. Voters under age 30 back the president strongly, 71-27, and even Catholics support him by a whopping 68-29. Overall, independent voters give him a 63-32 edge.
The poll’s findings, in short, are bleak for the GOP challenger. It concludes:
“Basking in the euphoria of the American people closing ranks behind their leader in the White House, President Obama dominates the political scene…”
Did I type “Obama?” My mistake, it should read “Carter.” The poll was taken January 22, 1980.
We all know how that turned out.
Today’s polls have the incumbent deadlocked in a tie with his challenger or leading slightly four months from the election, indicating softness that has not yet translated into a Romney lead because the Republican has not yet made the sale. Mitt Romney has his opening to turn Obama into a one-termer like Carter. He just has to take that opening and exploit it successfully.
Those who live by the polls today, will panic and may die by those very same polls before November.
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