Ohio Poll shows John McCain leads Barack Obama slightly in battleground state

As it was in 2004, Ohio with its trove of 20 electoral votes once again could prove to be a key to the outcome of the presidential race.

A University of Cincinnati poll shows John McCain leading Barack Obama 48%-44%. However, nearly a fourth of Ohio’s voters say they have not completely decided how they will vote.

Eric W. Rademacher, co-director of the Ohio Poll, noted that more Democrats than Republicans currently say they intend to cross party lines by voting for McCain. The poll shows that 11% of Democratic likely voters plan to vote for McCain, while 5% of likely Republican voters intend to vote for Obama.

“You cannot treat these choices as final vote choices,” Rademacher said, noting that many Democrats and Republicans who say they are considering crossing party lines typically will return to their nominee.

The poll of 775 likely voters was conducted from Sept. 5 to Sept.10, after both the Democratic and Republican conventions. There was a margin of sampling error of 3.5%

The poll, conducted after McCain picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, shows men were siding with McCain, 51%-41%, while women were narrowly backing Obama, 47%-45%. (See news video of McCain and Palin in Ohio below.)

Rademacher said Palin's selection is causing women to take a second look at McCain, but that it's too early to tell whether she'll draw female voters to the Republican ticket.

Voters ages 18-29 overwhelmingly backed Obama, 60%-33%. Voters 65 and older sided with McCain, 49%-40%.

In an Ohio Poll conducted in September four years ago, President Bush led John Kerry 54%-43%. Bush ended up winning the state by less than 120,000 votes out of 5.6 million cast.

--Dan Morain

Comments

[Adam]

I grew up on the Ohio River and know that Ohio will go to McCain. Skin color is all that matters to a majority of people in this state. California, Florida, and Ohio have the dumbest people in the country on average.

[johnny369]

This is Queer! I just read an article from an Ohio newspaper that states the oppsite. Obama is leading in Ohio by the same percentage shown here in favor of McCain?? WTF? who do you belive?

[Greg]

And this is the group that claims jobs and economics mean the most to them?

If McCain wins I want to be interviewed in Ohio during our recession or great depression.

If they love America, after that interview with Gibson you would think Obama and Biden is the answer.

But I guess Obama didn't inherit enough of his mothers skin tone and hair qualities. I'm telling you if Obama was white he would be a shoe in no matter his running mate and no matter mccains running mate.

[Adrienne]

If the voters of Ohio think that the McCain/Palin ticket is the way this country should go. Then they have obviously given up on the future. The statements that have been made by McCain and Palin (when they haven't been lying) have indicated that we will be at war, neither one seems to believe in diplomacy nor have they mentioned our Allies if we have any left. We have all these right wingers so concerned about what a women does with her body, and advocating birth no matter what the circumstance., but they do not want to put in place anything to help that child once it is born(i.e. healthcare, education, etc.) The Evangelicals look down on gays and abortion, but don't seem to mind if the Government is corrupt. The Republicans spin on everything is if we do it that's fine.

[brainspanker]

If he were white, this would be over.

All that talent, all that charisma and all that intelligence. If he were white, McCain would be bucking for a cabinet post at best. “JFK” would escape the lips of Americans without hesitation. If, he were a white Christian male, just as attractive with just as much presence, saying exactly the same things and landing precisely where he does on every single issue, next. If he were white. We’d be all but finished here.

There is more at: brainspank.org

[Bonduel]

Who said "race" wasn't an issue. Obama is the better choice and they know it.

[I don't get it]

How can so many people be undecided??

[Jake Maslow]

Of course McCain leads. He is the only candidate ready to lead this country.

In my opinion, the polls still don't show how much lead he actually has... These guys will be surprised when they see McCain will win in November by Landslide!

- Jake

[Cell Phone Only]

The fact that simply isn't addressed when quoting these polls is that there are many (hundreds of thousands?) of people out there now, specifically people under 40 who do not have a home phone. These polls do not reach these voters and therefore do not reflect a true cross section of the electorate.

[Thoren58]

It is still early, but Palin's views and values appear to be the same as Bush. I want change.

[Hilary Smith]

John McCain is a hothead. I don't want him anywhere near "the button."

[Bob Kaye]

When McCain leads by 4, it's a "slight" lead. When Obama is up by 4, it's a "commanding" lead. Nope, no bias there.

[Diana Sibel]

It is sad that this nation is still prejudice in the 21 century. We vote on religious believes,gender instead of issues.

[mark]

"If he were white, this would be over"

If he were white, this would not be on in the first place. Heard of affirmative action? Wonder which poor white bloke got shafted so that Bami with the right skin color got into his Ivy league school? If he were white, he would still be at best a new senator and at least a decade or more away from running for president. An affirmative action empty suit has been riding a mighty wave of white guilt. To be fair, he is charismatic. He may also be intelligent although having seen affirmative action at work first hand, I am not inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[DTP]

A poll of 775 out of 5.6 million likely voters? Are you kidding me? Who did they poll, a bunch of grannys with wired phones that home all day?

That is less than .00013% of the voting population in Ohio.

This poll is statistically inaccurate and totally meaningless.

[adrian]

RE: Mark
Hurray for veiled racism! Oh wait.. you were really obvious about it.
Mr. Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School. It wasn't affirmative action that allowed his success.
And for the kids at home, contrast Mr. Obama's academic performance with that of Mr. McCain!
*Hint: Mr. McCain finished 895th out of 899 at Annapolis. But I guess since he's white, the professors just graded him more harshly, eh Mark?

[iH8uAll]

Educational background of candidates:
Barack Obama
-Occidental College - Two years.
-Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
- Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joe Biden
- University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
-Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain
-United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Sarah Palin
- Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
-North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
-University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
- Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
-University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

As they must say in OHIO - "Stupid is, as stupid does".

Heck-- I have more education than Palin and I live near Mexico (international experience), so I should be VP!!! RAH!

[Irene]

Have these idiots in Ohio not learn their lesson after Bush's relection??!!

[Fair is Fair]

Lets only send Ohio service men and women to fight in Iraq. They are the people voting to continue the war.

[BJ]

There was a comment here that said: "If he were white this would be over".

I beg to differ, the truth is: IF he were Hillary Clinton, this WOULD be over!

Or, to be kinder, if he had chosen Hillary as his VP, this might be over.

But the reality is, there is buyer's remorse happening with Obama. And people are discovering how big his ego really is, and are turning off.

McCain/ Palin '08
Hillary 2012

[Margaret]

Barack Obama is miles ahead of McCain in terms of talent, charisma, his speaking skills, and his policies. He has inspired millions of americans to vote and to come together. McCain has not. He has followed in the awful footsteps of George Bush and is a complete sell-out. McCain's lack of judgement is best seen by the selection of his running mate who was not properly vetted and who he had only met once.

John McCain is McCrazy for his choice of running mate.

I just hope and pray that the american people can look at this election and think 'what's in it for me'. If you go with Obama you'll get a great economy, thousands upon thousands of dollars in tax breaks, and a REAL secure energy future.

With McCain you'll get more national debt (which George Bush has racked up to 9 trillion dollars!), the super-rich will get richer, and you'll see the cost of everything from a loaf of bread to the cost of gasoline continue to skyrocket. McCain will also do nothing about climate change, which as we can all see is about to once again cause significant challenges in the gulf coast. Basically, you might as well just keep George Bush in office for another four years.

I believe that the american people are much, much smarter than this, and that it's more about what the candidate is offering than the color of their skin. After all, think about it, who will protect the middle class? Obama, Who's policies and ideology will destroy the middle class and the american dream? McCain.

[Bill]

However this race cuts, the University of Cincinnati's "Ohio Poll" is one of the most historically accurate polling platforms for that state. Do not underestimate this poll...keep an eye on it as this race moves forward.

[Fernao de Magalhaes]

Greg:
I like this quote.
"If McCain wins I want to be interviewed in Ohio during our recession or great depression."

However, if you would have actually done your research into Obama's agenda if he were elected, you would see the US go into a huge depression.

It is many of the left wing/marxist policies that have taken a lot of the industry out of Ohio and Michigan. It doesn't take an MBA to research this and come to your own conclusion. Oh but wait, I have my MBA in International Business.

[Fernao de Magalhaes]

iH8uAll::
You're post is most amusing.
"Educational background of candidates:
Barack Obama
-Occidental College - Two years.
-Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
- Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joe Biden
- University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
-Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain
-United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

Sarah Palin
- Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
-North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
-University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
- Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
-University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

As they must say in OHIO - "Stupid is, as stupid does".

Heck-- I have more education than Palin and I live near Mexico (international experience), so I should be VP!!! RAH!"

However, have you noticed that no one is really probing into Obama's background regarding his work at Columbia University or at Harvard? It makes you wonder.

[willie]

Biden after 25+ years in upper government with very strong annual earnings from this job, Biden reports he has a net worth, so hiring a ticket he is on to run this country will NOT likely serve to be financially beneficial to us, since this man can not even keep his own financial affairs in order. MANY ARE PROUD THAT HE TAKES MASS TRANSIT TO WORK EACH DAY, YET I SEE THIS IN ANOTHER LIGHT, I DONT THINK ANY LENDER WOULD APPROVE A BORROWER WITH A NET WORTH TO PURCHASE A CAR. .... FOOD FOR THOUGHT !! BUYER BEWARE!

[Expert]

Agree with the comment that if this were Hilary it would all be over. My family up there has never voted for a Rep for president in their lives. They voted for Hilary in the primary but there is no way they will vote for Obama. It's not a race issue, it's a cultural issue. They recognize Obama for the outsider he is.

[Rise']

Senator Obama is truly an inspirational speaker. His communication skills are exemplary, and to be honest I agree with some of his policies. His skin color is of no consequence to me. His repeated past associations with less than savory characters does cause me some concern, but we all have skeletons in our closet and as long as that's as far as the association go... who cares. We all grow up, change, and find new directions. So up to this point, the concept of voting for Obama is not so bad... but here's the kicker for me:

- You couldn't get a job at McDonalds and become district manager after 143 days of experience.
- You couldn't become chief of surgery after 143 days of experience of being a surgeon.
- You couldn't get a job as a teacher and be the superintendent after 143 days of experience.
- You couldn't join the military and become a colonel after 143 days of experience.
- You couldn't get a job as a reporter and become the nightly news anchor after 143 days of experience.
- You couldn't get a job as Director of Nursing after 143 days experience as an RN!

BUT....

'From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United States Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days experience in the Senate. That's how many days the Senate was actually in session and working. After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed he was ready to be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World ... 143 days.

We all have to start somewhere. The senate is a good start, but after 143 days, that's all it is - a start.

Yes I'm concerned about a Junior Senator being President of our nation, yes I'm concerned about an aging McCain and a young Governor as his backup, but because I have no other choice I'll be casting my vote for McCain. My decision has been derived by scouring the internet, reading as much as I can, watching as many of the speeches from BOTH parties as I possibly can, and going into many blogs to see if I can possibly be convinced that I can look the other way on some of my personal views and vote Democratic for the first time in my life. I can't justify it on 143 days experience.

I'll tell you all what doesn't help matters... when a person is truly struggling with a decision and they enter a blogspot only to see the ridiculous name-calling and insults toward people who think differently... well, let's just say it really diminishes the impact of your argument.

I'm from Ohio - lived here all my life. I'll stack my intelligence up against any one in this blogspot who refers to us as idots any day of the week. When you spout off like that, you're simply showing your ignorance.

No matter who is elected... may God have mercy on us all!

And by the way... Go Bucks!

[Pat]

Why don't these people quit whining and face it, Biden was a LAME choice Palin was a GREAT one, McCain will win for many reasons Palin Being one. experience being another
left and right coast will vote for Obama, everything else in between will not!, period, get over it, you guys nominated a DUD! HA HA

[Ken]

The problem isn't race, the problem is values. If Obama had the same values as,say, J.C. Watts, I would vote for him in a skinny minute. I cannot bring myself to vote for someone who would trash the second admendment, approve of the wholesale slaughter of human fetuses, weaken the military, or send more of our tax dollars to the U.N. I was not at all thrilled with the performance of George Bush or the Congress but McCain for all his warts is not a far left socialist. Obama is. As far as Palin is concerned, if the leftist media really thought she was as bad as they says she is, they would just wait until the truth came out instead of attacking her like a bunch of rabid dogs.

[Raj]

After years of falling economy, job losses, failure of the financial system to protect home owners, market failure - Can McCain understand any of the jargons? Go ahead vote and elect McCain if you want to enjoy the reality what you face NOW on day to day basis. Snap out of your thinking to vote for McCain

[Domingo Tavella]

These results show one unavoidable truth: If somehow American whites managed to become well educated, racism would drop and the US would have a shot at regaining its leadership position in the world.

Since short of a miracle this is very unlikely to happen, we must conclude that Sarah Palin is essentially the first serious symptom that the US is abandoning the priorities that are essential to a developed nation. Dangerous times lie ahead. Palin is no Margaret Thatcher any more than Dan Quayle was JF Kennedy.

[Grand Mondo]

I just can't believe the Obama campaign release an ad attacking McCain because he doesn't know how to use a computer or send an email. They failed to mention that the man has a disability that prevents him from using a keyboard among other things! And when has using a computer ever been a litmus test to who can be a President anyway... that's what the CIA/FBI/DHS is for! Idiots. I thought Obama was good at "organizing". Apparently not. Pack your bags Obama... you're outta here!

[Bubba]

Educational background of candidates:
Barack Obama
-Occidental College - Two years.
-Columbia University - two years B.A. political science
- Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Joe Biden
- University of Delaware - B.A. History/Poly Sci (only one BA two majors}
-Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

JD is not a real doctorate, 3 years only

John McCain
-United States Naval Academy -

Sarah Palin

-University of Idaho - B.A. in journalism

ah yes the the great liberal fallacy, "we are smarter, we should choose for everyone else, after all we are superior. we went to our liberal school, we drank the kool-aid they dispenced out of the water fountains, we loved our professors and they were proud of how well we repeated back to them that which they believed, we learned critical thinking by memorization of the facts as were presented, we dog piled onto those cnservatives that dared to come to our schools and raise thier voices, we demonstrated our superiority by answering our own questions correctly, those poor ignorant fools that mess up our liberal utopia. We saved time by not havingto reseach our own views or the science we believed in or the economic policies that those we followed and told us to vote for, except if you count reading our left wing blogs or sites obviously if they disagree with us they are stupid" actually Obama has not release anygrades so we do not know, and Harvard was notorious for making everybody a magnum cum ladidadi. he ws no great academic, just like carter, Ducacus, Kerry or Gore, just high average with a huge ego, he is the product of affirmative action and heavy boosting from the poweful.

we need people to work together, we need someone who is proven, to work with others to find sollutions, that is not obama, he is just not demonstrated ...leadership, the media is in love with him, liberals are in love with him opps, that is the same thing...

[joseph marcucilli]

Mark, you don't get to be editor of the Harvard Law Review through affirmative action.McCain benefited from white affirmative action since he was admitted to Annapolis on the basis of his family's name. Why don't we try someone with a brain this time.

[John]

McCAIN AND FAMILY VALUES

The Planned Parenthood ad turns a perverted attack on its head, asking why McCain objects to protecting toddlers.

“Every eight minutes a child is sexually abused. That’s why Barack Obama supported legislation to teach children how to protect themselves,” a female narrator says in it.

“Now John McCain is twisting the facts and attacking Sen. Obama. Doesn’t McCain want our children to protect themselves from sex offenders? Or after 26 years in Washington is he just another politician who’ll say anything to get elected?”

Does McCain, like Tom DeLay, support child abuse? Why is he attacking legislation with the purpose of protecting our kids? Is the a ploy to protect his republican friends like Idaho senator Larry Craig?

What are McCain’s views on pedophilia?

BOOZE FOR KIDS

Barack Obama does not want to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. John McCain is not so clear on whether he supports such a move.

McCain has routinely sought to steer clear of alcohol-related matters. His wife, Cindy, is the chairwoman of the Hensley & Co. beer distribution company. Phoenix-based Hensley is one of the largest Anheuser Busch Companies Inc. distributorships in the country.

McCain has routinely not voted on issues directly impacting Hensley and alcohol-related sectors during his time in Congress.

The Obama campaign said the Illinois senator does not support a lower legal drinking age.

MARRIAGE

McCain likes to illustrate his moral fiber by referring to his five years as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam and to demonstrate his commitment to family values. The truth is somewhat different.

The first Mrs McCain casts is the mother to McCain’s three eldest children. Carol, who was a famous beauty and a successful swimwear model when they married in 1965, was the woman McCain dreamed of during his long incarceration and torture in Vietnam’s infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison and the woman who faithfully stayed at home looking after the children and waiting anxiously for news.

But when McCain returned to America in 1973, he discovered his wife had been disfigured in a terrible car crash three years earlier. Her pelvis and one arm were shattered and she suffered massive internal injuries. In order to save her legs, surgeons had been forced to cut away huge sections of shattered bone, taking with it her tall, willowy figure. She was confined to a wheelchair and was forced to use a catheter.

When John McCain came home from Vietnam, she had gained a lot of weight and bore little resemblance to her old self. ‘My marriage ended because John McCain didn’t want to be 40, he wanted to be 25. You know that happens…it just does.’

Some of McCain’s acquaintances are less forgiving, however. They portray the politician as a self-centered womanizer who effectively abandoned his crippled wife to ‘play the field’. They accuse him of finally settling on Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen, for financial reasons. McCain was then earning little more than $40,000 a year as a naval officer, while his new father-in-law, Jim Hensley, was a multi-millionaire who had impeccable political connections.

[sam]

McCain attracts the uneducated, I guess most people from Ohio will not relate to Obama then.

[peter lebuhn]

McCain-Palin has so much more experience than Obama does on that note he should get the nod alone

[crash]

To the guy with the MBA, what do you call the guy with the lowest score in medical school? Doctor. Doesn't George W, our worst president ever have an MBA?Please review the voting records before trooping around your credentials. I have an MBA too as do many people here in Seattle and we are all voting Obama. We look at the record and the integrity of the man not the skin color.

[mavsreader]

I'd love to be in on the Republican "safety” narrative. You know the story, of how republicans have protected American families, the economy, jobs, technology, international relations and the environment.

Once in on the narrative, I might cling to “safety” of "known" republican ideology. I could hope this group of maverick republicans are better at execution.

Obama's leadership has been painted as "pie in the sky" but what the republican leadership offer is "real and concrete".

A thinking president? We don't need one of those either.

Diplomacy? Nah, we need a fighter. Strike first.

Honesty? Americans don't deserve or cannot handle the truth, and that's why politicians lie. It's just politics.

[jamie]

hey "expert" who said "They recognize Obama for the outsider he is." Okay, not race but xenophobia based on a lying smear campaign by McCain. Is this what you base your vote on? How ignorant.

[GEEZER/GIDGET '08]

McCain’s recent advertisement smears against Obama continue to be debunked by independent sources.

1 FactCheck.org disputes the use of the sites information contained in 2 separate ads.

FactCheck.org comments dated 09/10/2008:

“A McCain-Palin ad has FactCheck.org calling Obama's attacks on Palin "absolutely false" and "misleading." That's what we said, but it wasn't about Obama.
Our article criticized anonymous e-mail falsehoods and bogus claims about Palin posted around the Internet. We have no evidence that any of the claims we found to be false came from the Obama campaign.

The McCain-Palin ad also twists a quote from a Wall Street Journal columnist. He said the Obama camp had sent a team to Alaska to "dig into her record and background." The ad quotes the WSJ as saying the team was sent to "dig dirt."

With its latest ad, released Sept. 10, the McCain-Palin campaign has altered our message in a fashion we consider less than honest. The ad strives to convey the message that FactCheck.org said "completely false" attacks on Gov. Sarah Palin had come from Sen. Barack Obama. We said no such thing. We have yet to dispute any claim from the Obama campaign about Palin.”

2. The Assoicated Press has called McCain on his assertions that Palin was called a “PIG” as well the ad that claims Obama wanted “comprehensive’” sex education for pre-school students. AP states the Obama supported a bill to help educate pre-schoolers via “Good Touch vs. Bad Touch” as to when to notify parents they were being sexually abused. It states this distortion was particularly grievous.

McCain’s campaign and even McCain declares in these ads, the ads are true and they have proof, but oddly have not released the “proof” to either FactCheck or the AP.

3. The independent group TPC disputes the statement Obama will raise taxes and states the truth is that the majority of American taxpayers will indeed receive a larger tax break under the Obama plan than the McCain plan. A TPC example is below.

Families earning between $38,000 - $66,000 will receive the following tax breaks under each candidate.

Obama McCain

$1.012 $312

RECAP: In McCain’ rush to the WH he has potentially endangered the lives of 300 million people with one choice and now he using lies in an effort to prevent young children from being protected from sexual predators with another choice. The reason McCain gives for the ads is “the tenor of this campaign would be different if Obama had held town hall meetings”. I guess that means if Obama had let the McCain team run both campaigns, he would have made truthful ads! Not, only immature but should bring up serious questions about McCain’s decision making and judgment. Is McCain going to nuke Russia just because they say something McCain does not like? McCain’s logic is chilling.

As evidenced by these serial lies, McCain has also chosen to shed the baggage of his integrity just to win an election.

Shameful, especially from a man who claims “Country First“ as a slogan but is only a true example of “empty words“ from an “empty suit“.

[Howard]

To Obama the word change is just a campaign slogan, whereas McCain and Palin have actually brought about substantive changes in government. Changes which have helped Americans, while Obama has spent his career just talking about it. Obama has spent most of his time in public office absent from his responsibilities, while ambitiously running for the next rung in the ladder, not to serve the people, but rather to further his own position. And, I'm sure most people could relate to McCain and Palin as fellow Americans, more than they can to the Obamas, who chose to spend TWENTY YEARS in the radical
anti-American racist church of Jeremiah Wright ... and chose unsavory associates, such as Farrakhan, Pfleger, Rezko, Ayers, etc.. As for Obama's phony indignation about being a community organizer ... Palin never criticized those efforts, she merely, and rightfully questioned it as being the sole experience and credentials for someone to use as qualifications to become President of the United States ... and, even then, it was in response to Obama's attacks at Palin for being the mayor of a small town, when he also neglected to mention that she was Governor as well.

[haligi]

If Obama were white, he'd go the way of Edwards: no experience = no vote. He would not have made it this far.

[alexa]

I love this one! When McCain leads by 4, it's a "slight" lead. When Obama is up by 4, it's a "commanding" lead. Nope, no bias there.

But....honestly, it'll be a McCain landslide!

[ryan]

Responding to the "If Obama was white this would be over"...
I don't think that he is losing votes in this election for being black. Many liberals seem to be voting for him just because it is extremely PC, not to mention the black community who is for the first time signing up to vote. How Is it ok for the black community to vote for him just because he is black, when you accuse people of being racist against him? I could care less what a presidential candidates skin tone is, he just has bad policies.