June 28, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama remains ahead of Republican John McCain in the United States, according to a poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times. 49 per cent of respondents would back the Illinois senator in this year’s presidential ballot, while 37 per cent would vote for the Arizona senator.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Democrat Barack Obama remains ahead of Republican John McCain in the United States, according to a poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times. 49 per cent of respondents would back the Illinois senator in this year’s presidential ballot, while 37 per cent would vote for the Arizona senator.

Support for Obama increased by three points since May, while backing for McCain fell by the same margin.

In a contest incorporating two other candidates, Obama is first with 48 per cent, followed by McCain with 33 per cent, independent candidate Ralph Nader with four per cent, and Libertarian nominee Bob Barr with three per cent.

On Jun. 23, Nader criticized Obama, saying, "He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he’s coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it’s corporate or whether it’s simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."

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

If the November 2008 general election for president were being held today and the choices were Barack Obama, the Democrat, and John McCain, the Republican, for whom would you vote?

	Jun. 2008	May 2008	Feb. 2008
Barack Obama (D)	49%	46%	42%
John McCain (R)	37%	40%	44%
Other	4%	5%	5%
Unsure	10%	9%	9%

If the November general election for president were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama, the Democrat, John McCain, the Republican, Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate and Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate, for whom would you vote: Obama, McCain, Nader or Barr?

Barack Obama (D)	48%
John McCain (R)	33%
Ralph Nader (I)	4%
Bob Barr (L)	3%
Other / Unsure	12%

Source: Bloomberg / Los Angeles Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,115 registered American voters, conducted from Jun. 19 to Jun. 23, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.