Oct 28, 2008 5:42 pm US/Central
Election In 1 Week: Obama's Lead May Be Shrinking
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
-
-
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Emmnual Dunand/Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
There is just one week to go until we know who the next president is - and there are signs Tuesday that Obama's sizable lead may be shrinking. And that has local McCain supporters energized.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that the Republican nominee mocked Sen. Obama as presumptuous for buying a half-hour of TV time on three networks simultaneously Wednesday. Among other things, it will delay Game 6 of the World Series by 15 minutes.
"He's planned his first address to the nation before the election," McCain said. "By the way, no one will delay the World Series game with an infomercial when I'm president."
McCain and his supporters point to polls that show him gaining support. Obama's been leading for more than a month, according to Chicago-based Real Clear Politics.com. An average of dozens of surveys showed Obama was leading last Friday at 50.4 percent and McCain trailed at 42.5 percent. Today, Obama retained his lead at 50.4 percent, while McCain is at 43.6 percent, up 1.4 percent.
"That's why I think the Obama campaign is right now spinning out of control on the way that 'Joe the plumber' in this redistribution of wealth argument is going," said Sen. Jim Durkin, Illinois Co-Chair, McCain For President.
On the near west side today, 120 volunteers at Obama's Illinois state headquarters were taking nothing for granted. They phoned voters in Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa, urging Obama supporters to get to the polls - and seeking more volunteers.
Their candidate stumped in Pennsylvania, focusing on the economy.
"I'm going to start off with just two words: one week. In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put greed and irresponsibility before hard work and sacrifice," Obama said.
There are analysts who take a different view of the polling data. They focus on the fact that Obama remains over 50 percent in a majority of national surveys and in key battleground states. With three or four percentage points going to minor party candidates such as Libertarian Bob Barr and Ralph Nader, they contend that puts Obama in a very strong position going into this final week.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
