Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
- Death Penalty
- Economy and Globalization
- Environment
- European Union
- George W. Bush
- Global Warming
- Gordon Brown
- Hamas
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq War
- Kevin Rudd
- Latin America
- New Zealand Election 2008
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- North Korea
- Oil and Gas
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Silvio Berlusconi
- Stem Cell Research
- Stephen Harper
- Terrorism
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Republicans
- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
- Yasuo Fukuda
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
McCain Trails Democrats in U.S. Presidential Race
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama is leading Republican John McCain in a prospective United States presidential contest, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 46 per cent of respondents would vote for the Illinois senator this year, while 41 per cent would back the Arizona senator.
Support for Obama in this match-up increased by three points in a week, while backing for McCain fell by five points. In a separate contest, New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton holds a two-point edge over McCain.
Yesterday, Obama criticized Rodham Clinton, saying, "I have been open about my reasons for opposing the (Iraq) war. But one of my opponents in the race, Senator Clinton, has tried, I believe, to rewrite history. We need accountability in our leaders. We can’t undo a vote for war just because a war becomes unpopular."
In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Polling Data
Possible match-ups - 2008 U.S. presidential election
McCain v. Obama
|
Jan. 17 |
Jan. 10 |
Nov. 29 |
|
|
Barack Obama (D) |
46% |
43% |
44% |
|
John McCain (R) |
41% |
46% |
44% |
McCain v. Rodham Clinton
|
Jan. 17 |
Jan. 10 |
Dec. 20 |
|
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) |
47% |
38% |
43% |
|
John McCain (R) |
45% |
49% |
49% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 800 likely American voters, conducted on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, 2008. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.