Fox Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Say Ayers Makes No Difference To Their Vote

[RamboLiberal]

These numbers, buried in the internals of a new Fox News poll out today, are the first time a national poll has tried to gauge the impact of Barack Obama's association with William Ayers. And the numbers are pretty bad for McCain:

There has been some discussion of Barack Obama's relationship with the former radical activist William Ayers. Because Ayers is linked to plots to bomb the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol in the 1970s, and because Ayres recently said he wished he had done more, some people say Obama's association with Ayers calls into question his judgment. Does Obama's connection with Ayers make you less likely to vote for him for president or does it not really make a difference to your vote?
Less Likely 32%

No Difference 61%

Strikingly, the numbers are worse for McCain among independents: Only 29% say the Ayers association makes them less likely to vote for Obama, and more than twice as many -- 64% -- say it makes no difference. The data suggests that the vast majority of the respondents saying it makes them less likely to vote for Obama are Republicans, who probably wouldn't have supported him anyway.

Meanwhile, the poll suggests that McCain's attacks could be blowing back on him: A majority -- 51% -- say he's running a negative campaign, as compared to only 21% who say that about Obama.

Our handy TPM Election Central calculator tells us that the number of voters think McCain is running a negative campaign is nearly double that of the number who care about McCain's primary attack line right now. Go figure.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/fox_poll_ayers_not_hurting_oba.php

[Alter Ego]

1. That other third wasn't voting for Obama anyway.

I'll tell you that right now.

[progressoid]

11. Yep - they are also Bush's 29 percenters.

Now down to 22 percent?

Phuck em.

[KingFlorez]

2. That puts an end to that

[redqueen]

3. Where's that Ha Ha graphic?

[Essene]

4. maybe Fox should keep redoing this survey until they get the answer they want

[Schulzz]

5. They will try to spin it against Obama.

Of these 32%, how many were McCain supporters, wo would not vote for Obama anyway. I smell bullshit.

[anonymous171]

6. McCain is firing up his base when he should be appealing to moderates and independents.

I should send Schmidt some flowers to thank him for this.

[Window]

7. K/R.

:kick:

[tridim]

8. The backwash always boils down to 30-ish percent.

It never fails.

[wildflower]

9. And that's with the leading questions

Which are reminiscent of push polls.

[Rambis]

10. Once McLame finds out it isn't polling well it will be dropped

quick switch the wind is blowing this way!

[Cali_Democrat]

12. LOL @ Fux Noise

"The data suggests that the vast majority of the respondents saying it makes them less likely to vote for Obama are Republicans, who probably wouldn't have supported him anyway."