Barack Obama scores well in new Pew poll

The controversy over various incendiary remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright has for the most part "not hurt" Democrat Barack Obama's campaign for president, one of the nation's top pollsters says, based on his organization's latest survey.

"Obama’s lead over Hillary Clinton remains as wide as it was in late February,'' says Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, and "both Obama and Clinton continue to run slightly ahead of (John) McCain in a general election matchup.''

In the battle for the Democratic presidential nod, Obama was backed by 49% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters surveyed and Clinton by 39% (the error margin for this part of the poll was plus or minus 5.5 percentage points).

Some caveats ...

Other recent polls, including this one for NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, have been less positive for Obama, especially in gauging the status of  his race with Clinton.  Also, the Pew poll was conducted from last Wednesday (3/19) through Saturday -- meaning many were questioned in the immediate afterglow of Obama's generally well-received speech on race relations.

Perhaps most importantly, all the surveys took place before the latest discovery of an intemperate phrase -- this one directed at Italians -- from Wright, Obama's longtime pastor.

As Newsday's Spin Cycle blog puts it, Wright expounds on "a two-millennium grudge against the sons and daughters of Rome" in an article he penned for a magazine for which he is listed as CEO and his daughter, Jeri Wright, serves as publisher.  Specifically, the preacher wrote:  Jesus' "enemies had their opinion about Him.... The Italians for the most part looked down their garlic noses at the Galileans."

Still, comments by Kohut ...

will be welcomed by Obama and his partisans.

"The new polling suggests that the Wright affair has not hurt Obama’s standing, in part because his response to the controversy has been viewed positively by voters who favor him over Clinton,'' Kohut said.

He added: "Obama’s handling of the Wright controversy also won a favorable response from a substantial proportion of Clinton supporters, and even a third of Republican voters.''

See the Pew poll here.

-- Mark Silva and Don Frederick

Mark Silva writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[NickNas]

You people never hesitate to mention the Rev. WHAT ABOUT Bosnia? Was the poll before or AFTER That? Why don't you even say?? I am more interested in what comes out the CANDIDATES mouths not SUPPORTERS. Hillary lied 3 times on film and was caught red handed. Why the Pass for her?

[alee21]

Obama's world is a world of black and white (mind you, I am not talking about race).

Obamaites, get over it. Hillary did not "lie", she overstated the conditions of her arrival in Bosnia. That does not diminish her role in that visit which was stated as a diplomatic success by the Ambassador to Bosnia at the time.

By the way, where was Obama in 1996? In collusion with Rezko I imagine. I bet he was nowhere near Bosnia.

He still has not held a single oversight meeting of the foreign relations committee he is supposed to chair. Of course his playtime in the Virgin Islands supersede anything as mundane as duty and responsibility.

[Harry Grace]

All things being equal, if Wright was a white pastor, this would be a one day story, like Falwell, Robertson, or any of the loons supporting McCain. The media is obsessed with this because Wright is black, and they like the caricature of him as an 'angry black man".

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Reporting on other old statements by an already renounced opinionated preacher is merely professing that you have nothing new to offer. It is like walking out to that country road poking the week old armadillo corpse lying in the road and announcing " Yep, It's still dead!". Beating a dead horse also comes to mind as does the term diversion.

[Clyde Nelson]

I'm so sick of all the remarks and comments of the Democrats that if I decide not to support McCain, I just won't vote. This race is sickening. Obama is deplorable.

[Fred]

Obama's teliprompter aided speeches sound like "Green eggs and ham" to me. Nothing of any substance. His off the cuff comments are worse. His book that I am hearing each evening is just more "Afro-centric" vapidness.

I know MANY more intelligent Black men, personally.

[Judy Kilgore]

This issue of the bigoted Wright and Senator Obama's long association with him is not going to go away. It is absolutely an outrage that the MSM didn't report on this until now. And even now, they have chosen to take Senator Obama's word for it that Wright did not often say the hateful and racist things we have so far heard. As for it being taken out of context, it should not have been said in any context. Besides, Wright openly espoused the writings of James Cone and these are as racist and radical as Wright's words. Senator Obama has some more explaining to do.

Those of us who are Senator Clinton supporters do not appreciate the MSM ramming Obama down our throats. Here is one who will not vote for him if he gets the nomination, nor do I think he will get many Independent votes. Against All-American McCain, even with his negatives, Obama cannot win.

[Honeymoon in Teheran]

This poll is music to the ears of the naive and credulous.
Obama fanatics are not easily dissuaded . But the most
casual observer knows that PEW are famous for their
unreliable polling. At one point they had governor Judas
ahead of Clinton who was trailing Mike Gravel.

[Ryan]

I agree with NickNas. Why not talk more about the disgusting, lying witch? Words of the candidates themselves are more important than the words of supporters.

[Loyal Democrat]

Clinton: "Look over there! He's a bad man!"
Obama: "Look over here! We've got work to do!"
McCain: "Where are those damn glasses of mine!?"

[kweku Hagan]

i really don't know what's wrong with some people with what obama's pastor said and what, what really matters now is how obama will fix our worsening economy and soo forth, it looks sook stupid to waist time on such trivial issues rather than tackling health and economic probles

[Fanos]

Obama gave an outstanding speech on the economy. Obama would do a great job as president. But, it has come down to voters in PA, NC and IN. If they decide to vote for the candidate best positioned to side-step Washington politics and get things done for us, then their choice has to be Obama.

America will start winning again.

And, on Florida and Michigan, the Obama camp has always said they will abide by any decision the DNC and the state reps work out. Let me repeat it… Obama said he will abide by ANY decision! On the other hand, the Clinton camp said they want the delegated to be seated. In Michigan, Obama’s name wasn’t even on the ballot.

These crocodile tears are so apparent, it is shameful. When she really needed New Hampshire to rescue her flagging campaign, Hillary herself had said, “Michigan and Florida votes will not count” since they had moved up their dates to compete with Iowa and New Hampshire. She has done a complete 360 on this, and now argues it does not make sense not to count their votes.

How opportunistic?

The Hillary camp offers Americans nothing but cheap political calculations and maneuvers. Simply put, Hillary will say and do anything to get elected. Look at her Bosnia, Ireland accord and NAFTA lies….fudging her resume to boost a non-existent “experience”.

I have no problem with Hillary continuing to fight for her party’s nomination. What I have a problem with, however, is this effort to lie, cheat and deceive her way in to the White House.

People, wake up and smell the coffee!

[dan]

who cares?

this is about more than winning an election. we should focus on john mccain. we're doing the work for him!

[dwilks]

I feel sorry for some of you. Clinton lied to pad her resume. In the business world, you get fired for that. Ironic that she kept saying to think of the campaign as a job interview. If so, she just fired herself. Meanwhile, Obama keeps to the high ground. He's intelligent, honest, and a nice guy. The Clinton dynasty is, thank God, over!

[rhodap]

HILLARY WHO?

[fritz]

Hilary's a liar .. she's deceiving America.

[MsBuger]

Obama lied more than Clinton did and his lies were pretty serious.
(1) lying to texans and Ohioans about his position on NAFTA. (Canada)
(2) lying about his position on withdrawal from IRAQ (Samantha Powers)
(3) Lying on how his parents met
(4) Lying about African American on Life Magazine
(5) Lying about not having heard about Rev. Wright's hate issues for 20 years
(6) Lying aout his deep and serious relationship with Rezko
(7) etc,

These are serious issues against OBAMA, the GREAT.

Bosnia is just exaggeration. and this issue is nothing. Hillary remained quiet on Wright issue until Obama blast her about the Bosnia.

[Andrew Austin]

Hillary misremembers details of an hour that occurred 12 years ago.

Obama denies 20 years in the pews at Trinity United.

[tabac blond]

It appears to me that the general public has moved on with th/e Rev. Wright's statements and Sen. Obama's explanation, It is more than alarming to me on how the media can't/won't let it go. McCain stumbles and blows off anyone who doesn't agree with him; it is obvious Hilliary will do or say anything---she is so not in integrity. I am a middle aged white woman who assumed we'd moved much further along re: racial lines from the days of my youth. So I find it astonishing to observe the media---for the almighty buck or sheer evil. participate in race baiting. Shame on you all for all this negativity and divisiveness.

[Darrell]

Everyone Please read this: Obama is in trouble again concerningsimliar statement's his Pastor has made.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3636128.ece.

[Mike]

Wright's "God damn America," while offensive, doesn't come close to the outrage that occurs in both Black and White churches all across America that effectively proclaim, "God damn the World" with their narrow theology that only Christian fundamentalists will go to heaven. The trash that comes forth every Sunday from the pulpits across America puts Wright's puny comments to shame. Fundamentalists blaspheme God by identifying God with the American Empire, and so, when a Black pastor has the temerity to challenge this idea and state that God might not actually be Rush Limbaugh dittohead, this will not do! The whole thing reeks of nativism and racism.

[Vera (truth]

Hillary should tell America where she went (or goes) to CHURCH, and if Mr. Hillary went with her? ? Does she have any friends there? Did Carl Rove go to the same church? Has she gained EXPERIENCE in reverse psychology? Hass she LEARNED (from her pastor) how to turn away from her own FAULTS OF "MISSPEAKING" and FOCUS her attention on destroying another HUMAN BEING (like she calls HERSELF)?

What is she doing to the Democratic Party ... you know, the party that Sen. Barack Obama has worked so hard to SAVE?

[pana]

Well said Ms buger, it looks like you have done extensive homework to come up with your calling of Obama a lier. You score 101% except your real unashamed lier will loose badly you won't know what hit you. Please be real, no-one in the bloggs are children nor are they not reading the news and watching on tv what is going on.

Obama is NOT in trouble for someone else's remarks,its only common sense and everyone knows that.

[ed]

Over the course of the past few weeks, several themes have developed;

1) Obama is being scrutinized and judged by the words of his pastor.

2) Hillary is being scrutinized and judged for HER WORDS of what "really" didn't happen in Bosnia.

.....which is the worse of the two Demon-crats....

3) McCain is smoking cigars and realistically beginning to decide which suit to wear to his inauguration.

4) Bill Clinton recommends to those bible-thumping-ultra-conservative-Republicans that it is okay to smoke cigars because it doesn't require one to inhale.

5) Chelsea is defending her mother's bullet scars from Bosnia by stating it's "none of our business".

6) Oprah is secretly being groomed to become Obama's running mate. On one of her shows, she will reveal that her ultimate goal is to donate the White House and remodel it into living quarters as a shelter for the homeless.

Aaah, politics and freedom of speech. America is one unique country. It's all good!

[elizabeth]

The Hillary Clinton campaign employees need to stop posting their words of hate in forums of the people...the real people, not those paid to stir up negative controversy.