PSoTD

New Poll Finds Big Shift Toward Obama

A new poll released today in California finds political momentum shifting dramatically toward Barack Obama—and away from both Hillary Clinton and John McCain—in the nation's most populous state. According to a survey conducted over the past 10 days by the Public Policy Institute of California, 59 percent of likely voters here now have a "favorable" impression of Democrat Obama, while a majority view both of the other candidates unfavorably. In a state whose Democratic primary Clinton won in February, 51 percent of voters now say they have an unfavorable opinion of her; 53 percent of voters feel the same way about Republican McCain.

Obama, meanwhile, seems to be making strides across nearly every constituency. If the general election were held today, 54 percent of Californians say they would vote for him, compared with 37 percent for McCain. That gap has widened by 8 points since March.

I wonder if this has to do a lot with public perception of how Obama's dealing with Hillary Clinton at this point. Her campaign efforts are portrayed by the press as a "threat" to Obama, and yet he generally appears calm and controlled under that threat. Her very campaign is now making him appear - dare I say - presidential. What she's doing in the spring in order to try to beat him may actually help him in the fall.