Hillary Clinton's camp touts new poll findings

A just-released "memo" from Hillary Clinton loyalist Harold Ickes -- ostensibly directed at Democratic superdelegates, but also meant for a broader audience (like us) -- succinctly and effectively rolls out the spate of new poll data that bolsters her case that she, rather than Barack Obama, offers Democrats their best chance in the looming matchup with John McCain.

Here are the key details from the release:

"HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH MCCAIN: In a hypothetical general election match-up with McCain, Clinton wins handily (50-41) while Obama is virtually tied with McCain (46-44), according to the AP-Ipsos poll released Monday.  A new poll from CBS/NYT show Clinton beating McCain by five points (48-43), while Obama ties McCain (45-45). The new Fox poll has Clinton beating McCain by one point (45-44), while Obama trails McCain by three points (43-46). And in Gallup's daily tracking poll, Clinton leads McCain by one point (46-45) while Obama trails McCain by two points (44-46).

"SWING STATES: New Quinnipiac polls out today show Clinton dramatically outperforms Obama in the critical swing states of Ohio in Florida. In Ohio, Clinton beats McCain by ten points (48-38), while Obama loses to him by one point (43-44). In Florida, Clinton beats McCain by 8 (49-41), while Obama loses to him by one point (42-43). Hillary also tops McCain by 14 points in Pennsylvania (51-37), while Obama's lead over McCain is in single digits.

"CLINTON BEATS MCCAIN AMONG INDEPENDENT VOTERS; OBAMA TIES HIM: The new AP poll has Clinton leading McCain among independents (50-34) while Obama is tied with him (42-42).  The NBC/WSJ poll notes that Obama’s negative ratings among independents are they highest they have ever been."

As tracked by Time magazine's Page blog, some superdelegates just aren't getting the message, however.

Also, the polling results that most immediately will count in the Democratic battle will be what happens at the polling places in North Carolina and Indiana on Tuesday (for the latest trends, see here and here).

-- Don Frederick

 

Comments

[David Eubanks]

Barack is trying to sit on a lead. That's not usually effective. He should debate. Barack appears to have earned an early lead that in all reality not amount to much. He's going to have a very tough time in the general.

[nick]

I am so sick of these polls and their skewed numbers. She's obviously just trying to build up a case that she is the better candidate.. she's ruthless.

[yo]

Geez, while the democrats are polarized across two candidates, these poll numbers do not amount to much. The "hypothetical" match-up would never happen with two democrats running against mccain for the general election, so the analysis is bunk

[Bruno]

what are the super delegating waiting!! Hillary is clearly the most electable democrats... what else matters? For god sake, do they need help making a simple decision like that?

[Wayne]

And at this point in 1992 Bill Clinton was running third nationallly behind the first President Bush and Ross Perot.

These polls mean nothing.

[Wm Tate]

Now that Hillary and Obama have both appeared on the Fox News Channel, where will the hard-core leftists turn?
-Wm Tate
http://www.atimelikethis.us

[jOE]

HRC's camp conveniently forgets the many weeks Obama has outperformed her in all of these national polls. This is a minor blip from the slew of "controversy" flames she helped fan ad nauseum. Bravo, Hill... you're a good Republican! Keep up the great work. Richard Mellon Scaife and Bill O'Reilly are proud of you!

meanwhile... thank you Joe Andrew! Clinton's Super Delegate lead is down to a very slim 18 supers now!!!

[Bill]

The polls say what I've believed all along. Obama may win democratic delegates, especially in the inner cities, however, he will not be electible because of the masses of previously loyal democrats like me that will cross party lines to vote for McCain simply because he is real, and not a bunch of pie in the sky, feel good, verbage that has not a shred of credibiilty behind it. The only way to guarantee a Democratic loss in a presidential election that should see a certain Republican loss is by nominating Obama, who will clearly be viewed as the lesser of the evils. God help this country. Aside from the politics, if Pastor Wright made these incindiary remarks in any other forum, he would be on a Homeland Security watch list. Obama being a close associate for 20 years would be on the same list. Can we trust our country to that?

[MyPollResults]

When asked what these results ment:

"Nothing - Obama already won a while ago."

Hillary = Paula Abdul of international politics.

[Lanny Davis]

Now the polls mean something ... goodnight, boring

[Peter DesLauriers]

Ms. Clinton is more concerned with winning the election than she is with the Democrats winning this election. Her personal goals and place in history are overshadowing the needs of our country. She is not 'taking one for the team". Al Gore showed true courage when he stepped aside in the battle with Bush. He was truly altruistic. Ms. Clinton should, but cannot, show the same strength. Sad.

[Dimple Adams]

Do we really want the Clinton years repeated. We had a majority of Democrats in Congress when they took office, and a minority when they left. We need a leader who can bring both sides together. Clintons have a record of not being able to do that. We need a fresh start, which McCain or Clinton can not offer.

[Peter DesLauriers]

Ms. Clinton is more concerned with winning the election than she is with the Democrats winning this election. Her personal goals and place in history are overshadowing the needs of our country. She is not 'taking one for the team". Al Gore showed true courage when he stepped aside in the battle with Bush. He was truly altruistic. Ms. Clinton should, but cannot, show the same strength. Sad.

[Chessie]

The party should realize that it's a Clinton/Obama ticket that will bury the Republicans, and come together to make that happen, and instead of spending all this money in the primaries-- save it for the election.

[Mateo]

Hillary Clinton has committed the worst kind of dis-service to the Democrats. I was a supporter. However, her recent expressions of blind ambition and power mongering are downright scary. This country is truly at a serious crossroads. God help us all if she weasels her way in by employing "swift boat" tactics. I don't doubt her intellectual abilities. I am however concerned about her willingness to swim in the cesspool of racism and fear based politics in order to gain support.

[John A]

Wow...they're touting Fox polls now? Going on O'Reilly? Maybe she should consider switching parties.

[JOE BENTO]

More Hillary and her team trying to get us to view the world as they want us to see it. She is an expert at using the reality bending kaleidoscope folks so lets not fall for it.

Reality is the underdog from nowhere has beat her period in delegates, votes, states, and the super delegate tide is moving strongly in Obama's direction. Reality is setting in and Rev Wright and bittergates is all any opponents have which is nonsense when you put it up against how the electorate views her lack of honesty and the Iraq debacle. No surprise that Ickey is not telling you about the polls that show her negatives almost up there with George W. and that takes some doing. Barack Obama land is fine and as soon as he is the official nominee the majority of her supporters will come on home to the Democratic party. No fear folks the house is not on fire no matter how many matches Hillary has in her little arson hands.

Vote Barack Obama and be proud you get a candidate with integrity and intellect a great combo.

Barack and Roll in 2008

[Obamabot]

To Hilleritas and McCainites, please let us rally around Barak now, no more hate. He must do that which every politician must do. But with our support, he will be elected President. Perhaps then a serious discussion on reparations for our past sins of slavery and Jim Crow laws can begin. Once America has paid for it past mistakes by voting for Obama, and the Reparations checks are sent out, then the healing and acceptance of the majority can be considered by the minority. This is the "Change we can believe in!" We paid the Japanese who were interred in concentration camps during WW2, $20,000 each, for 400 plus years of slavery and racism, much more will be required. Vote for Obama - Whites to finally pay for Slavery $$$$$$$$

[almanac kid]

The only superdelegates not getting this new message are most certainly Bush hating, left-wing elitists, who will strive for nothing other than complete radical change of America, at all costs, the scope of which will surely lead to failure in November.

[d scott]

Um, just in case anyone cares about the subversive text from the Los Angeles Times' bloggers roster~
Would it be less 'interesting' as credentials if D. Frederick has stated "attempted" impeachment of President Clinton or does he actually think Clinton was impeached?

[Sean]

We haven't entered the general election yet. Do the polls mean that much? Also, who has contributed more to Obama's numbers right now? Clinton or McCain? I think in fairness, one could argue a democrat tearing down another has a lot more impact.

[almanac kid]

checking in

[Randy]

Message to the DNC...

Hillary CAN WIN... hands down! In a landslide!

Please don't screw the pooch this time.

[Jilly]

Push poll + unmitigated gall = Hillary Clinton.

[eSPO]

This race is incredibly close .. until you consider Hillary is on a high and Obama is on a low. The super delegate lead for Hillary is steadily disappearing. Most will wait until after Indiana and North Carolina to endorse their candidate. This is when the landslide of super delegates fall to Obama and the race is over.