Despite unprecedented plays for Catholic support by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, a Washington Post/ABC poll this week finds that John McCain has an edge among Catholics over both of his Democratic rivals:
John McCain holds a slight edge over either Democratic nominee among white Catholics in the new poll, besting Hillary Clinton 54 percent to 44 percent, and topping Obama by a similar margin, 53 percent to 42 percent:
God-o-Meter must admit surprise. The poll suggests that the flap over John Hagee’s McCain endorsement is hardly a barrier to Senator picking up hefty Catholic support. More than anything, it’s a testament to his remarkable appeal to swing voters–Catholics have chosen the winner of the popular vote in the last nine presidential elections–even in a strongly anti-GOP climate. This fact, combined with what has been Hillary Clinton’s decisive edge among Catholics over Barack Obama, should have the Obama campaign pretty worried about November. Catholics represent a quarter of the electorate.
The poll is also noteworthy for that it reveals about the low priority that Catholics place on the social issues most emphasized by the church:
….[C]ore concerns of the Vatican are low on the top issues list of Catholic voters – just one percent said abortion is their top issue in the November election, and less than 1 percent cited morals or family values.
Does that mean Catholics’ support for McCain is totally disconnected from their faith, or just their church?
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posted April 18, 2008 at 12:23 pm
It’s the economy, the economy, the ecomony. McCain has a face and persona that makes people believe that he connects with them at some root level. He’s Grandpa. Obama and Clinton don’t have that. When things get bad, people look for reassurance.
The notion that Catholic voters are some weird monolith that votes as a lemming mass is totally wrong. They are the same as every other voter.
posted April 18, 2008 at 10:15 pm
suppose that the economy is the single issue that most drives this poll and others like it. For sure, McCain may look physically like the oldest candidate and, therefore, the wisest candidate in the race. Upon closer examination though, Senator Obama sure sounds like the wisest and most capable potential steward of the economy in the race.
Obama’s focus on cutting taxes for working families, increasing regulation of so-called sub-prime lenders, reduction of risky lending and borrowing, tax incentives for middle-class homeowners, increased funding for federal student aid for higher education, and the creation of millions of new green jobs show that he is the candidate most able to answer the needs of today’s economy.
posted April 22, 2008 at 1:56 am
Obama is the best choice. If America can get pass all the GOP rhetoric,and see Obama as the man he is ,America will be blessed. Obama’08
posted September 24, 2008 at 12:26 pm
If Obama wins, he will do the same thing Clinton did. He will promise tax cuts, then get into office and say “Bush made a shambles of this economy so we can’t afford tax cuts right now.” He will then raise taxes on the rich and corporations, which means things will cost more – and everyone else will pay for the taxes on the rich. People gotta wake up and smell the coffee. Any tax increase is paid by the little guy. There’s a reason why the cities in America that vote Democrat are POOR. They are taxed, businesses are taxed, and everyone suffers.
McCain ’08 Palin ’12 Palin ’16