Why This Year's Pollsters Are Stumped

Boomers, seniors split on whether to support fellow oldster

(NEWSER) - Now that a primary season fraught with racism and sexism has ended, the nation now gears up to face its general-election gremlin: ageism. While John McCain, 71, may joke that the primary qualification to be president is "to be very, very, very, very old," the New York Times reports that his age may work for him among ever-more vibrant oldsters trying to break a gray ceiling, of sorts. More»

Voters worry about age more than race or gender, survey finds

(NEWSER) - GOP contender John McCain would lose to either Democratic candidate if the match-up were held today, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Adults nationwide would choose Barack Obama over McCain by 12 percentage points; Hillary Clinton would beat the Republican by six points. Though McCain has eight months to gain ground, he appears to be a hard sell to many independent and moderate voters. More»

Fraction under mistaken impression much greater than 5-10% nationally: poll

(NEWSER) - Nearly a quarter of Texas voters still believe Barack Obama is a Muslim, the Houston Chronicle reports. Polling shows 23% of registered voters there buy internet-fueled rumors the Democrat is hiding his Islamic faith—compared to just 5-10% of voters nationwide. The same poll gives John McCain a comfortable lead over Obama, at 51%- 40%. More»

Poll finds Obama leading McCain by 9%; Palin approval ratings falling

(NEWSER) - Wall Street's worries are working in Barack Obama's favor, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. The candidate has opened up his first clear lead of the race against John McCain, 52% to 43%, with much of the boost coming from voters who see him as more capable of dealing with the economic woes facing the nation. More»

(NEWSER) - Another poll, another batch of bad news for Barack Obama. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal survey says John McCain has cut Obama's lead by half in the last month and now trails only 45% to 42%. That slim margin makes the race a statistical dead heat. A flurry of other major polls out today reached the same conclusion, and one, from Reuters/Zogby, put McCain ahead by 5 points. More»