As the Racers Stumble into the Blocks: Polls on Obama vs. McCain

Nick Gillespie | August 25, 2008

Via RealClearPolitics, a pre-Democratic National Convention poll snapshot to ponder:

Polling Data

Poll	Date		Obama (D)	McCain (R)	Spread
RCP Average	08/14 - 08/24		45.5	43.9	Obama +1.6
CNN	08/23 - 08/24		47	47	Tie
USA Today/Gallup	08/21 - 08/23		48	45	Obama +3
ABC News/Wash Post	08/19 - 08/22		49	45	Obama +4
Gallup Tracking	08/21 - 08/23		45	45	Tie
Rasmussen Tracking	08/21 - 08/23		48	45	Obama +3
FOX News	08/19 - 08/20		42	39	Obama +3
CBS News/NY Times	08/15 - 08/19		45	42	Obama +3
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl	08/15 - 08/18		45	42	Obama +3
LA Times/Bloomberg	08/15 - 08/18		45	43	Obama +2
Reuters/Zogby	08/14 - 08/16		41	46	McCain +5

More here.

Obama had what has universally been declared a "bad August" due to excess bodysurfing, etc. McCain has edged closer and is, this part-time Ohio resident can testify, hammering away on the tube with negative ads (more on those later). The net result is that things have gotten a bit tighter on the eve of the DNC in Denver.

Here's a recent poll that includes Libertarian Bob Barr and whatever Ralph Nader is this year:

ABC News/Wash Post

Obama 48, McCain 42, Nader 3, Barr 3

Keep a copy of all this in your scrapbook to look at after we all stop crying for whatever reason in November.