Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
- Death Penalty
- Economy and Globalization
- Environment
- European Union
- George W. Bush
- Global Warming
- Gordon Brown
- Hamas
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq War
- Italy Election 2008
- Kevin Rudd
- Latin America
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- North Korea
- Oil and Gas
- Same-Sex Marriage
- 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
Obama Gaining on McCain in U.S. Race
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain in the United States presidential race, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 47 per cent of respondents would vote for the Illinois senator in this year’s election, while 44 per cent would back the Arizona senator.
Support for Obama increased by two points since late April, while backing for McCain fell by one point. In a separate match-up, McCain trails New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton by five points.
On May 7, former senator George McGovern—the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee—urged Rodham Clinton to drop out of the race for the party’s nomination, saying, "I do not see how she has much chance of pulling out the nomination now, and I think it is important for Democrats to get united to win the general election in November."
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
|
May 8 |
Apr. 24 |
Apr. 10 |
|
|
Barack Obama (D) |
47% |
45% |
44% |
|
John McCain (R) |
44% |
45% |
47% |
|
Other / Undecided |
9% |
10% |
9% |
McCain v. Rodham Clinton
|
|
May 8 |
Apr. 24 |
Apr. 10 |
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) |
48% |
45% |
42% |
|
John McCain (R) |
43% |
47% |
48% |
|
Other / Undecided |
9% |
8% |
10% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 likely American voters, conducted from May 5 to May 8, 2008. Margin of error is 4 per cent.