Text size +

Clinton, McCain lead new national poll

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor January 11, 2008 04:36 PM

National polls are not all that meaningful at this stage in the presidential race.

Still, their comeback victories this week in New Hampshire boosted the numbers for Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain.

The CNN/Opinion Research poll, conducted Wednesday and Thursday and released this afternoon, shows Clinton with a 49 percent to 36 percent lead over Barack Obama, with John Edwards at 12 percent. Clinton's support rose from 40 percent in the same poll last month.

Among Democrats, the worsening economy has jumped ahead of healthcare and the Iraq war as an issue, according to the survey. Clinton leads among Obama in voters' confidence in how they would deal with those concerns.

On the Republican side, McCain, with 34 percent, vaulted into the lead over Mike Huckabee, who has 21 percent support, Rudy Giuliani with 18 percent, Mitt Romney with 14 percent, Fred Thompson with 6 percent, and Ron Paul with 5 percent. McCain jumped from 13 percent last month, and nearly half of Republicans say they now believe McCain will be the eventual nominee.

Nationwide polls will become more important closer to Feb. 5, when 22 states vote in what is close to a national primary.

9 comments so far...
  1. obama is going to win

    Posted by josh January 11, 08 06:19 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. CNN is almost as bad as FOX. They have decided John McCain is a man that can be beaten by the Democrats in the general election, so they are trying to get naive Repubicans to go for him. It won't work. Mike Huckabee will be the nominee not only in spite of but also BECAUSE of the unfair treatment of him by FOX, MSNBC, and CNN. Those people still don't understand that the public hates the media because it tries to create the news rather than reporting it. Fortunately, the talking heads are not very bright and the people see through them easily.

    Posted by David Anderson January 11, 08 07:45 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Does the Clinton Campaign pay the New York Times for it's spun coverage ?

    Posted by PulSamsara January 11, 08 08:06 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Poll takers need to have their name show up on caller id-people are not participating in them because they come through as a number with unknown origins.

    Posted by Ruby Hill January 12, 08 03:21 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. The polls run by the media cannot be trusted because the media have a vested interest in the outcomes. They are more interested in creating the news than in reporting it. Their assurances that Obama would win big in New Hampshire probably cost him a win there.

    Posted by David E7 January 12, 08 04:29 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. I think McCain will go on to win the Republican nomination, even if he comes in second place in Michigan and South Carolina. He is widely perceived to be the one who has the most electability in a general election. Also, he is looked upon as a war hero and one who is strong in foreign policy experience.

    Posted by L. Jones January 12, 08 09:08 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. After reading so many negative and so few positive comments on the net regarding her former activities, her horrendous conduct towards her secret service protectors and her current ambitions, there is no way in the world that I, as a senior citizen, would ever consider voting for Hillbilly Clinton. The last thing this country needs is the re-establishment of the decadent Clinton 'royalty' in the White House.

    Posted by Dick Rodman January 13, 08 12:17 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. mccain is a moderate republican who favors small central government but is able to crossover to the other side when he feels principle outweighs political expediency.
    remember, he could have elected to leave captivity much earlier but chose not too.
    they must have been stunned in north vietnam!
    character counts!
    ken

    Posted by ken rosner January 13, 08 01:11 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. This is probably the nastiest presidential free-for-all I have ever seen. The Clinton-Obama fight is ludicrous. Though both 'appear' to have workable solutions to the many problems the American people face on a daily basis but, they appear to have let their personal animosity deteriorate into a brawl to see who can come out on top. I, as a senior citizen, am sickened by this in-fighting and their complete disregard for the welfare of their constituents. I am definitely not against a woman president, but I am most ceertainly against this woman who appears to have no other objective in mind other than regaining and maintaining the Clinton political machine. Nor do I have anything against a black president so long as he keeps his priorities straight and represents 'all' Americans and does not eventually polarize himself in favor of the black community. My faith in American politics was shaky before, but it is now totally mistrusting. I have come to the final conclusion that the American people are now under the total control of big money and political influence and that our God given right to get out and vote has become meaningless. No matter who we vote for, the biggest 'guy' with the most money is 'gonna be da boss' just like back in the 30's.

    Posted by Dick Rodman January 15, 08 01:43 PM
    Reply | Report this post
add your comment
Required
Required (will not be published)

This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.

About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com

archives

browse this blog

by category