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October 25, 2008

A Reality Check on Obama's Wish List By Michael Barone

What will an Obama administration and a Congress with increased Democratic majorities do? That's a relevant question, given the Democrats' leads in the polls. And it's a little hard to answer, given the financial crisis that has been raging and the recession that seems to be ahead.

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October 25, 2008

25% of Adults Plan to Dress Up This Halloween

Boo! Halloween is just around the corner, and not just children are dressing up for the “spook-takular” holiday.

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October 24, 2008

Keep Worrying By Susan Estrich

My Democratic friends want to know when they can stop worrying.

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October 24, 2008

House Race Update By Larry J. Sabato, Isaac Wood, and Paul Wiley

Every week it seems to get worse for House Republicans. As we will demonstrate below, we have expanded the number of possible to likely net gains for Democrats from our previous 15 to 20 to a new and rather astounding 22 to 27 seats.

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October 23, 2008

Democrats’ Lead Slips in Generic Congressional Ballot

The Democrats’ lead over the GOP slipped two points over the past week in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional ballot. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that, if given the choice, 45% of voters would choose their district’s Democratic candidate, while 39% would choose the Republican candidate.

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October 23, 2008

26% Angry About Immigration, The Issue Candidates Ignore

It’s the issue both presidential candidates have largely ignored as they court the nation’s growing Hispanic population, but one-out-of-four U.S. voters (26%) is still angry about the current immigration situation.

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October 23, 2008

38% Fear Crisis Early in Obama’s Presidency

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of U.S. voters are very concerned that Barack Obama will be tested with an international crisis in his first six months as president, as his running mate Joseph Biden has predicted.

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October 23, 2008

McCain's Socialist Delusion By Joe Conason

Wherever John McCain appears on the stump in these waning days of the presidential campaign, he is always accompanied by his imaginary friend "Joe the Plumber," but it is the specter of Karl Marx that lurks just offstage.

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October 23, 2008

Democratic Wave Continues to Build By Larry Sabato

Back in 2002 and 2004, the Crystal Ball brought misery to Democrats and joy to Republicans, as we projected the solid GOP victories that occurred in those years. The cycle of politics is not to be denied, and so in 2006 and now in 2008, there is a role reversal.

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October 22, 2008

The Populism Divide By Dick Morris

As the election enters its last two weeks, social populism wars with economic populism to become the major outlet for American anger and angst and to satisfy the demand for change. In his book The Populist Persuasion, Michael Kazin articulates the difference between these two types of populism: economic and social.

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October 22, 2008

Only 15% Say Madonna Good Role Model for Women

Madonna’s certainly no stranger to media coverage. Her highly publicized split with husband Guy Ritchie is the hottest show biz gossip going.

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October 22, 2008

58% Favor Tax Cuts Over Another Stimulus Plan

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of U.S. voters say more tax cuts will better stimulate the economy than new government spending, even as Congress considers a second stimulus plan that could cost as much as $300 billion.

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October 22, 2008

The Final Days By Susan Estrich

Losing a presidential race is not an easy thing. Losing the primary is one thing. But making it to the finals, so close you can almost taste it, and then watching it slip through your fingers is one of those experiences from which few people ever fully recover.

October 21, 2008

Americans' Financial Security Sentiments Drop in October

The mounting economic crisis is eroding Americans' optimism in their financial security. The COUNTRY Financial Security Index(SM) slid 1.1 points to 68.8 in October, fueled by dramatic declines among men, pre-retirees and high income individuals.

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October 21, 2008

41% Say Government Should Encourage U.S. Auto Sales

Forty-one percent (41%) of Americans think the federal government should provide tax incentives for anyone who buys a car from a U.S. auto company, as two of the Big Three automakers talk merger to survive in the current economic climate.

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October 21, 2008

53% Say Candidates Should Name Cabinet Before Election

John Kerry the next secretary of State? Republican Senator Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon? Al Gore as Energy secretary? These names and others are in the air as media speculation runs wild on the bipartisan “star” Cabinet Barack Obama has in mind if elected president. But some of these names might cost Obama votes in the key states he needs on Election Day, so Cabinet announcements will come after the votes are cast.

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October 21, 2008

This Year's Hanging Chad By Froma Harrop

Once again in Ohio, the presidential polls are tied and its 20 electoral votes up for grabs. Such scenarios generally don't lend themselves to gentle politics.

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October 21, 2008

McCain Sticks to His Guns By Debra J. Saunders

In an age of craven politics, John McCain is not afraid to swim against the tide. When Americans soured on the Iraq War and had begun telling pollsters they wanted out, McCain pushed for a surge of U.S. troops in Iraq. Today, casualties are down dramatically and Iraqi troops are defending Iraqis.

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October 20, 2008

45% Say ACORN Trying to Register Illegal Voters

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters say the liberal activist group ACORN is trying to register voters illegally, but they’re divided over whether Barack Obama has ties to the group, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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October 19, 2008

Democrats Favor Spreading Wealth Around, GOP Disagrees

John McCain now says it's socialism, but Barack Obama insists, "When you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."