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20 Aug 08
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The survey also shows that both presidential candidates face their share of challenges. For Obama, he receives the support of just one in two voters who backed Hillary Clinton in the primaries, and he trails his Republican rival on handling terrorism, the war in Iraq and international crises like the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia.
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Hart lists three reasons. First, the conflict in Georgia as well as the Olympics have moved the news focus from the economy to foreign affairs, terrain that McCain finds more comfortable. Indeed, the poll shows McCain holding advantages over Obama in handling terrorism (51 to 23 percent), international crises (52 to 27 percent) and the war in Iraq (46 to 36 percent).
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Yet perhaps the biggest factor keeping the presidential race close has been Obama’s inability to close the deal with some of Hillary Clinton’s supporters. According to the poll, 52 percent of them say they will vote for Obama, but 21 percent are backing McCain, with an additional 27 percent who are undecided or want to vote for someone else.
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What’s more, those who backed Clinton in the primaries — but aren’t supporting Obama right now — tend to view McCain in a better light than Obama and have more confidence in McCain’s ability to be commander-in-chief.
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“It is an event where the words of Hillary Clinton are probably going to be exceptionally important.”
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Hart adds, “The Hillary Clinton campaign may be over, but the Clinton factor remains an important part of the election.”
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