Republican presidential candidate John McCain moved from being behind by 6 points among "likely" voters a month ago to a 4-point lead over Democrat Barack Obama among that group in the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. McCain still trails slightly among the broader universe of "registered" voters. By both measures, the race is tight.The fact is that this trip did little for Barack Obama and worked wonders for John McCain. I had the decidedly unfortunate opportunity to listen to a few older gentlemen talking about Obama's trip, and one of the men, an Obama supporter, said John McCain should not have challenged Obama on his lack of foreign experience because now Obama is getting tons of attention around the globe.
The Friday-Sunday poll, mostly conducted as Obama was returning from his much-publicized overseas trip and released just this hour, shows McCain now ahead 49%-45% among voters that Gallup believes are most likely to go to the polls in November. In late June, he was behind among likely voters, 50%-44%.
Among registered voters, McCain still trails Obama, but by less. He is behind by 3 percentage points in the new poll (47%-44%) vs. a 6-point disadvantage (48%-42%) in late June.
"Au contraire," I think to myself. Rather than make Obama look presidential, it seems (according to these two polls) that the trip instead reminded voters that this was Obama's first trip abroad, and will be his last before election day. A week-long trip with stops for a few days here and there does not an experienced candidate make. The polls are showing this with McCain closing gaps and indeed winning among those most likely to vote. Barack Obama's inexperience and campaign gaffes (and lies) are beginning to take their toll on Barry's popularity.
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