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Subscribe to RSSAccording to the latest NBC/WSJ poll, President Obama had a five-point lead when survey participants were asked who they would vote for, and 42 percent of those surveyed believe the economy will get better under Obama. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
Fueled by increased optimism about the economy and nation’s direction, President Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney by 5 points among likely voters and now sees his job-approval rating reaching the 50 percent threshold for the first time since March, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
The survey – which was conducted after the two party conventions and the political firestorm over last week’s U.S. Embassy attacks, but before Romney’s controversial comments about the 47 percent of the country “who are dependent on government” – shows the percentages believing that the country is headed in the right direction and thinking that the economy will improve at their highest levels since 2009.
In the presidential horse race, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden get the support of 50 percent of likely voters, while Romney and running mate Paul Ryan get 45 percent.
National Review and Bloomberg View's Ramesh Ponnuru, Roll Call's Shira Toeplitz and The Hotline's Reid Wilson take a look at the latest numbers out of the NBC, Wall Street Journal and Marist poll and talk about how battleground states may play out for the presidential candidates.
NBC/WSJ poll: Obama's approval on foreign policy drops
Among a wider sample of registered voters, the president’s lead is 6 points, 50 percent to 44 percent – up from Obama’s 4-point edge last month, 48 percent to 44 percent.
“It’s clear to me that Barack Obama has moved a … step ahead,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.
Evan Vucci / AP
President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 in Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
Yet Hart cautions, “It’s a step and only a step.”
Read the full poll here (.pdf)
For his part, McInturff adds that the presidential race may very well have seen an inflection point. “The president is in a stronger position than he was before the convention.”
But noting similarities between the current numbers and those from the 2004 George W. Bush vs. John Kerry race, he urges that this contest could be just as competitive.
“If you look at ’04 as a model, ’04 was really close. And that’s how we should continue to think about the campaign.”
Economic optimism on the rise
According to the survey, 39 percent of registered voters say the country is on the right track, versus 55 percent who say it’s on the wrong track.
The Daily Rundown's Chuck Todd reports on a statement that may significantly damage Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.
That right-track number is a 7-point increase from August, and it’s the highest percentage on this question since Sept. 2009.
Forty-two percent of voters also believe the economy will improve in the next 12 months, which is a 6-point jump from August, and a 15-point rise from July.
NBC/WSJ poll: Optimism in Obama presidency increases
What’s more, 47 percent of registered voters approve of the president’s handling of the economy – up 3 points from last month. Obama’s overall job-approval rating stands at 50 percent for the first time since March.
And 38 percent say the country is better off than it was when he became president, which is a 7-point increase from August. But a plurality of voters – 41 percent – maintain that the country is worse off; 21 percent say it’s in the same place.
Obama vs. Romney on the issues
While none of these numbers is ideal for a president facing re-election, Obama is now tied with Romney (43 percent to 43 percent) on which candidate would be better on the economy. In July, Romney held a 6-point advantage on this question.
Hart, the Democratic pollster, says this finding is potentially ominous for Romney. “Simply put, if Romney doesn’t win on dealing with the economy, he doesn’t win.”
On other issues, Obama leads Romney on dealing with taxes (45 percent to 39 percent) and on dealing with Medicare (47 percent to 37 percent).
And the president is ahead of his Republican challenger on three character traits – being a good commander in chief (45 percent to 38 percent), dealing with issues of concern to women (54 percent to 26 percent), and looking out for the middle class (53 percent to 34 percent).
NBC's Chuck Todd says, "Mitt Romney is not a good campaigner" and still must answer questions regarding his comments that were caught on tape. A Morning Joe panel then debates whether Team Romney needs a campaign shakeup.
Comparing 2012 to 2004
Although Obama enjoys these advantages over Romney, the numbers in the NBC/WSJ poll bear a striking resemblance to those from 2004, when Bush narrowly beat Kerry.
And that has McInturff, the GOP pollster, cautioning that this year’s race could be equally close, despite Obama’s current lead.
Read the full poll here (.pdf)
Indeed, in the Sept. 2004 NBC/WSJ poll, 39 percent believed the country was on the right track (versus 39 percent now); 43 percent thought the economy would improve in the next year (versus 42 percent now); and Bush led Kerry by three points among likely voters (versus Obama’s 5-point edge now).
The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted Sept. 12-16 of 900 registered voters (including 270 by cell phone), and it has margin of error of plus-minus 3.3 percentage points. In that sample, the survey also identified 736 likely voters, and the margin of error there is plus-minus 3.6 percentage points.
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This margin will only get wider because the repukes have a very flaud candidate
I find it hard to believe how biased the media is when it comes to the joke that is in the WH.
All he is doing with his endless whining, blaming, and deflecting is alientaing voters to the other side.
Keep it up Barry, you are doing R & R a world of good and the great part of that is your family gets to take a permanent vacation, the last one on the backs of the taxpayers.
FOX is waiting for you with open arms.
You must be talking about Mitt
Dude where is the LOVE, We all know the media picks the Winner, and we only get to hear what they want us to hear. I worked for a candidate in 1988, traveled this Nation for months with alot of intelligent people, that spoke alot of great ideas, but the majority never got to hear what they said because they wernt in line with their liberal agenda. Sucks but thats the way it is now days. You live and die by the sound bite.
I think what is more disturbing than Mitt Romney basically calling 47% of the people in this country non Tax paying bums is that on this same tape he basically told the Iranians how to attack this country with a dirty nuclear bomb. He said.... " If it were me... I would concentrate on sneaking a dirty nuclear bomb into Chicago and detonating it instead of wasting my time trying to develop a full scale nuclear bomb"
When are Republicans going to start asking themselves what kind of imbecile they have nominated for their Presidential candidate ???
About the same time you ask the same question about the current POTUS
It would've been interesting to hear the full conversation, not just what Carter's grandson edited for the internet.
But then again, Carter IV is a Democrat and was insulted that his grandfather was called the worst Prez, well now the current Prez has that distinction.
Such a good journalist is SURPRISE.......unemployed.
Yes it would have.... Maybe he would have told us of his secret plans to exterminate anyone who has a net worth of less than a Million dollars .
Well consider this...from the 47% how many are on welfare? how many are retired? how many are on unemployment benefits? how many are homeless? then there is the unemployment record, over 40 months at 8% or more...he himself stated that he would reduce the deficit by 1/2 or he should not have the job again...in his first two years with a DEMOCRATIC controlled congress instead of focusing on jobs he put all his effort into Obamacare, which will cost more than what we currently have....and you want to reelect this idiot? God help us all...
Obama is a ticking time bomb that will explode if re-elected....he is spending at an alarming rate which will put your great grandchildren in serious debt. Obama has increased our national debt in 4 years from 11 to 16 trillion dollars.
If he's re-elected, the debt could hit 21 trillion dollars by 2016...do you want to put future generations in debt that is beyond control? Vote this lame duck president out before it's too late!
forget future generations he is putting us in jeopardy right now
bush democrat....and they had it right....
Blah blah blah this is same old dumb crap u repukes were saying before he was elected, talk about your flaud candidate I'm sure he were refering to some of you in that 47% don't be that naive to think that some of the 47% that don't pay taxes aren't repukes
What I want to know is when the entire US in on the dole, who is going to pay for it?
Regardless. How can such a smart man say such stupid things. And this close to an election. Even though it was at a May event. What was he thinking? Or was he!
Thomas,
He was pandering to an adoring audience, that's the truly sad part, people actually believe this crap and they are ready to throw their fellow Americans under the bus.!
Well what about Obama's comments on 'redistribution'.....then there is foot in mouth Biden, who says to a vastly black group 'he wants to put you in chains again' or the fact that Biden was a draft dodger along with being an anti segragationist.....
Good Lord! Hunker Down! This is gonna get interesting!
I wonder how long NBC will leave this story crowing about Obama's polling lead on the front page of the website. More recent polls show Obama's lead evaporating, but you can bet those polls will not get front-page exposure on NBC.
The media used to make some pretense of being unbiased, but now they just promote one candidate or the other.
NBC/WSJ ??? You got to be kidding! The WSJ is OWNED by Murdock the patron saint of Fox Spews!
It has been reported that because the Economy is SO Bad-
Obama will now golf on Public Golf Courses!
There are three debates coming up which will give Romney a chance to keep talking. I can't wait to hear what he has to say next. My guess is that we will soon be able to watch these polls numbers move in Obama's favor with every statement Romney makes!
Romney will try an make an asinine gentlemens bet with Obama for a $100,000 in their first debate like he did with Rick Perry and make himself look like an even bigger Ass-hole than he has made himself look like in the last (2) weeks.
Really! Does anyone believe any of these liberal biased polls? Obama (@!$%#) is losing in a landslide in November. Mark Murray and Chuck Todd, you can kiss my arse as well!
When your head is in the sand, it leaves your arse in the wind.
I swear if credible evidence surfaced that Mitt Romney sexually assaulted a (9) year old girl when he was younger.....The Republican response would be.... "So what?.... that was 25 years ago"
They just keep defending this moron no matter what he does or says.
And you keep defending the idiot in the WH....he had two years with the Dems in control of the congress, did he try to do anything about jobs, getting people back to work? NO. he saddle us with his Obamacare, which will cost more than what is currently spent....
Did he have (60) votes in the Senate to get anything passed with a Senate minority leader jack-ass named Mitch McConnell telling all of us his only goal in life was to make sure Obama was a (1) term President?
Do you realize that 95% of all Senate votes were straight party line votes ,Moron, with a Senate comprised of (51) Democrats (47) Republicans and (2) independants?
DUH.... GEE... Why didn't he get anything passed ???.... Dumb-ass
Aunt Anna, slow and steady plan to lower or eliminate deficit spending...republicans will double down, 30 trillion instead of 15.
This poll is more fantasy from MSNBC. The race is down to one point and this point and is still swing towards Romney / Ryan. Like so many issues this is one more that many in the American press slant towards thier own personal viewpoint. Try to see things as they actually are.
This country is on the wrong track...
WSJ??? Is owned by the patron saint of right wing lies---Rupert Murdock, and your actually suggesting his numbers may be biased? Shame on you!
Hummmm.....Rasmussen shows them in a dead heat. Think I will stick a unbiased pollster, rather than the main stream media polls. I want the real truth - not BS. But I guess its not surprising -- liberal's typical spin, deceit and lies - all to win at any price.
Which coincidentally is the one you agree with.
What a surprise.
All you trolls casting doubt on the poll numbers because it's not FAUX: We're not buying your spin. Go back to the Faux News Network and let them pour more lies in your into your empty brain pans. Your losing and you know it... clinging to the bowl while the rest of the turds spin down the drain is just pathetic. Don't worry, we'll put the extra tax money you'll soon be paying to good use.
Rasnussen is an independent pollster - not related to Fox - YOU TROLL. Typical liberal - gets defensive at the truth.
Well when I read a unmassaged hard number poll on another even less creditable News site than NBC, which is really saying something, that reveals the following hard numbers:
Obama 15.97%%
Mitt 37.58%
Anybody but Obama 40.94%
and neither 5.50%
I'd say the Poll numbers NBC is showing are a bit contrived and massaged by some Pollster to fit NBC's plan to make a lot of money off of advertising between now and November 2nd by creating a sort of Horse race atmosphere with the Lemmings coming back to NBC every day for the latest Poll numbers....Meanwhile NBC cashes in.....
He has taken so many dif. positions on everything, just Who rally knows Mitt? Can't wait for the debates.
As Mom Says: "The trouble with lies is you have to remember them, the burden of truth gets harder everyday!"
Quinnipac /CBS polls this morning shows all the swings moving to Obama.
Don't believe any of them! / Do not be complacent on election day, Do not wake up the morning after and say What the F__k happened.
GO VOTE!
4 more 4 44
The country was on the wrong track and we all know who put us there. We are not going to go back. Forward.
ROMNEY in a LANDSLIDE!!....YIPEEE....we're going to send Barry and the choom gang packin. Its too bad Ray, Obama's choom dealer, got knocked off by by his gay lover. Otherwise, Barry and the Boyz could pick up some old school choom and ride around in the choom mobile puffin away...wouldn't that be sweet? YEEEHAAA.....
When your head is in the sand, it leaves your arse in the wind.
OH My....how profound....you must have seen that on FOX news.....DUH!!!
bucsdad - been puffing that crack pipe pretty hard there, I think you need to give it a rest.
Any poll that references "NBC" is a left wing liberal facade.
NBC/WSJ ??? You got to be kidding! The WSJ is OWNED by Murdock the patron saint of Fox Spews!
Screw it! I'm used to being broke now! Blow up the TV, Throw away the paper, move to the country, and build you a home. Plant a little garden, eat a lotta peaches, and try to find Jesus on your Own!---John Prine
Unemployment at a real 17.9%, $16 Trillion in debt, economy in the tank, half the country on the dole, and you still support this communist Obama? Not me. ROMNEY/RYAN 2012.
And the credit rating was hit again. now down to AA minus sounds good keep going we will outshine Greece..
"Unemployment at a real 17.9%" Proof please.
".. half the country on the dole.." Now you're just making stuff up.
And tragically the glass is always half empty. Only 4.1 % of Americans are on welfare. Obama is not a communist. Unemployment is at 8.3% thanks to the Republicans failed policies, and thanks again for unaffordable tax cuts to the wealthy and two unfunded wars lasting ten years, wars that have cost something approachinhg 4 Trillion--all pissed away on stupid and ineffective vengence and Greed.
Biggest dole collectors: republican country white boys from red states...wonder where the drain on the nation is coming from...yep, republican white boys from red states.
What did obamanation do for jobs in his first two years with a Dem controlled congress..nothing, why because he was more interested in his bloody Obamacare, and not the welfare of those who needed work....
Fought against a record number of filibusters! Thanks RePOOPlicans for wasting our valuable time.
James
Obama not a Communist? google the article,"Newspaper shows Obama belonged to Socialist Party, by Aaron Klein", there are even photos of noble leader with his fellow Marxist-Socialist comrades, but I warn You, after reading the article You can no longer claim Yourself to be just a poor duped useful idiot, if You still support Obama You are either a Communist or a Communist sympathyizer, there are no other choices.
Your noble leader claimed in his own words, if We let him give away a trillion dollars to his Comrades, unemployment would never go above eight percent,.......and You still blame Bush when unemployment never reached eight percent under him!, You gotta lay off the Kool aid Bud.
Why is it Republicans only believe polls that favor Romney?
Because they do not believe the Lib press
Same thing about the Libs they believe the polls that favor ..a, what's his name. oh yea the Messiah
FU Stan, your trolling is something I should ignore, but you deserve to get flushed down the hole with your robber baron...whats his name...oh yeah, the anti-Christ.
Well stan, when 9 out of 10 polls show Obama leading I go with the majority.
Golfsleft
And that is why Real Clear politics average of polls is suspect, an average of bad polls still produces a bad poll.
Gawd forbid that they fault their idiot candidate. It's gotta be someone else's fault when indeed it's their own for nominating a LOSER Mormon.
Just say no to ROBOT economics. Can the Republicans and vote a straight Democratic ticket in November.
LMAO,,,I can see the Campaign right now, which the Media is going to use to benefit their purse of course..Their going to make this out to be a horse race and everyday they'll post some kind of Poll to get the Lemmings to drop in every day to keep a track on how well their horse is doing, meanwhile selling tons of advertising....NBC has become so predictable and phoney it is sickening..And if you Vote based on a POLL or someones Popularity amongst a certain low life group of people then, you need some mental health help and via Obama care it will cost your a bundle as I am finding out from recent inquires to the tune of $798 a month and a $3,500 a year deductable before the Affordable Health Care Act kicks in to pick up less than 10% of the costs...This is why the Insurance Industry backs Obama,,their going to cash in big time...Thanks Obama you have to be the most incompetent decietful President this country has ever suffered through..Just found out Medicare is in trouble because they diverted 700 Million to Obama Care from Medicare and did the same with Social Security funds to support Congressional retirements...Now isn't that just spiffy...And they blame the Seniors,,what a huge lie....
The only Lie is the ones u repukes continue to put out on these blogs ever day the nonsense from fox and rush, wackos
The only polls that matter to Dems is on 11-6-2012, Do not listen to the crap, stay motivated GO VOTE! Help somebody else GO VOTE as well!
Remember the Sen & House are just as important.
For Republicans their day to read the polls is 11-7-2012, or they can start planning for the next one in
2016. 4 more 4 44