Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #14306
 
Timing of Research: All interviews for this survey conducted after 8:05 pm PT 09/02/08, after conclusion of the Republican National Convention. 600 Washington State adults interviewed; of them, 514 identified themselves as being registered to vote and were asked the questions which follow.
 
1On the whole, is Joe Biden an asset to Barack Obama? A liability to Obama? Or, do you not know enough to say?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Asset46%47%46%38%46%56%45%43%51%47%**6%64%21%68%45%22%52%71%38%50%41%47%49%
Liability26%33%19%33%24%22%26%28%23%22%**66%29%45%8%30%41%26%9%29%25%35%30%20%
Don't Know Enough26%20%32%29%28%21%26%28%23%29%**15%7%33%23%23%35%20%20%31%23%24%20%30%
Not Sure2%0%3%0%2%1%4%1%2%1%**13%0%1%1%1%1%2%0%2%1%1%3%2%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
2Does Obama's selection of Joe Biden as a running mate reflect well on Obama? Reflect poorly on Obama? Or do you not know enough to say?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Reflects Well On Obama47%46%48%38%49%56%45%44%52%47%**25%64%17%73%42%18%56%71%39%51%40%47%50%
Poorly On Obama26%32%20%31%24%21%28%27%24%22%**61%31%41%9%32%43%24%13%32%25%38%28%19%
Dont' Know Enough26%21%31%31%26%22%25%29%23%30%**14%5%39%18%26%38%20%16%29%24%21%24%30%
Not Sure1%0%1%0%1%1%1%0%1%1%**0%0%2%0%0%2%0%0%0%1%1%1%1%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
3On the whole, is Sarah Palin an asset to John McCain? A liability to McCain? Or, do you not know enough to say?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Asset45%52%38%51%44%38%50%47%43%43%**65%48%79%20%46%80%41%9%44%46%49%48%42%
Liability39%35%43%43%41%40%29%42%35%41%**12%39%11%61%40%7%42%81%37%40%37%36%41%
Don't Know Enough15%13%17%6%13%22%21%10%21%15%**10%13%10%18%14%13%14%9%18%12%14%15%15%
Not Sure1%0%2%0%2%0%1%1%0%0%**13%0%0%1%0%0%2%1%1%1%0%1%1%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
4Does McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as a running mate reflect well on McCain? Reflect poorly on McCain? Or do you not know enough to say?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Reflects Well On McCain45%52%38%49%45%39%50%47%43%42%**66%65%79%22%43%75%42%17%47%45%53%46%41%
Poorly On McCain40%35%46%44%35%46%37%39%42%43%**14%29%9%65%43%14%45%73%38%42%34%44%42%
Dont' Know Enough14%13%15%7%19%15%13%14%14%15%**20%6%12%13%14%11%12%9%14%13%13%11%16%
Not Sure0%0%1%0%1%1%0%0%1%0%**0%0%0%0%0%0%0%2%1%0%0%0%1%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
5Is the pregnancy of Sarah Palin's teen daughter a private, family matter? A legitimate campaign issue? Or, do you not know enough to say?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 3.5 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Private Matter80%79%81%79%77%81%88%78%84%81%**77%78%92%72%83%93%77%72%86%79%87%75%79%
Legitimate Issue15%17%14%18%18%15%7%18%12%15%**4%19%5%26%14%4%18%26%9%18%9%21%16%
Don't Know Enough4%4%4%3%5%4%4%4%4%3%**19%3%2%2%3%3%4%1%4%3%4%3%5%
Not Sure0%0%1%0%0%0%2%0%1%1%**0%0%1%0%0%0%1%0%0%1%0%1%0%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
6If you were placing a bet today, would you bet that Barack Obama will be elected president? Or, John McCain will be elected president?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Barack Obama54%48%61%50%63%56%44%57%51%56%**34%45%23%81%52%20%60%91%52%56%54%46%58%
John McCain38%43%32%43%31%36%44%36%39%37%**64%32%72%12%38%75%30%8%41%37%39%43%35%
Not Sure8%9%7%7%6%9%12%6%10%7%**2%23%5%7%10%4%10%1%8%7%7%10%7%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
7So far, has there been too much? Too little? Or just the right amount of media scrutiny of Sarah Palin?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Too Much46%50%43%49%50%38%47%50%42%45%**67%44%73%27%45%68%42%27%50%45%54%49%41%
Too Little25%25%26%32%20%28%23%25%26%26%**21%27%6%33%33%9%30%40%30%24%17%31%27%
Just About Right24%22%25%14%26%28%28%21%28%24%**12%26%17%36%16%17%25%28%19%25%21%16%28%
Not Sure5%3%6%5%4%6%2%5%4%5%**0%3%4%4%6%6%3%4%1%6%7%4%4%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
8Is the media rooting for Barack Obama? Rooting for John McCain? Or trying its best to be fair to both?
514 Registered VotersAllGenderAge<50 / 50+RaceParty AffiliationIdeologyIncomeRegion
Credibility Interval: ± 4.4 pct pointsMaleFemale18-3435-4950-6465+18-4950+WhiteBlackHispanicAsian/OtRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberal< $40 K> $40 KWestern Eastern Metro Se
Barack Obama52%59%46%60%53%45%52%56%48%50%**66%64%85%27%56%82%48%28%54%52%59%56%48%
John McCain8%7%8%7%6%12%5%7%10%6%**4%20%4%10%10%4%6%19%5%9%4%8%10%
Being Fair To Both35%30%40%31%35%38%37%33%37%39%**26%8%9%58%29%9%43%45%36%35%32%32%38%
Not Sure5%4%6%2%6%5%6%4%5%5%**4%8%2%6%5%5%3%8%5%4%5%4%5%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Registered Voters100%50%50%25%32%26%17%57%43%83%3%5%9%25%32%36%22%50%17%29%71%26%22%52%
 
** Too few respondents of this type were interviewed for this data to be meaningful.