| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #14454 |
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America's 1st Reaction -- Friday's McCain-Obama Debate Should Still Be Held On Friday, But Perhaps with New Focus:
Immediately after John McCain's announcement at 3 pm ET today, Wednesday 09/24/08, that he was suspending his campaign and seeking to postpone Friday's scheduled presidential debate, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,000 adults nationwide. Key findings:
A majority of Americans say the debate should be held on Friday. Just 10% say the debate should be postponed. A sizable percentage of Americans, 36%, think the focus of the debate should be modified to focus more on the economy. 3 of 4 Americans say the presidential campaigns should continue. Just 14% say the presidential campaigns should be suspended. If Friday's debate does not take place, 46% of Americans say that would be bad for America. |
| Caveats: This survey was completed in middle of unprecedented and fast-changing news events. This survey should be viewed as a freeze-frame snapshot of public opinion at a unique moment in American history. Opinions can and should be expected to change as news events unfold. SurveyUSA did not characterize Senator McCain's comments nor Senator Obama's comments in any way in the research questionnaire. |
 | The first debate between John McCain and Barack Obama is scheduled to take place in two days. Should the debate be held as scheduled? Should the debate be held, but the format changed to focus on the economy? Or, should the debate be postponed? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Who Will Win? | Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | Northeas | Midwest | South | West | |
| Held As Scheduled | 50% | 52% | 49% | 48% | 54% | 53% | 46% | 51% | 50% | 49% | 49% | 50% | 66% | 56% | 51% | 48% | 56% | 54% | 46% | 50% | 53% | 37% | 50% | 51% | 47% | 56% |
| Held With Focus On Economy | 36% | 34% | 37% | 41% | 34% | 33% | 32% | 38% | 33% | 36% | 39% | 32% | 29% | 27% | 39% | 39% | 23% | 35% | 45% | 28% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 37% | 38% | 30% |
| Postponed | 10% | 11% | 8% | 6% | 8% | 12% | 17% | 7% | 14% | 10% | 7% | 11% | 5% | 14% | 6% | 10% | 16% | 7% | 8% | 17% | 3% | 13% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 10% |
| Not Sure | 4% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 0% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 5% | 3% | 8% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 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 Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 32% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 60% | 40% | 72% | 11% | 11% | 6% | 31% | 39% | 23% | 27% | 37% | 18% | 43% | 49% | 8% | 20% | 22% | 35% | 22% |
 | Is the right response to the turmoil on Wall Street to suspend the campaigns for president? To continue the campaigns as though there is no crisis? Or, to re-focus the campaigns with a unique emphasis on the turmoil on Wall Street? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Who Will Win? | Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | Northeas | Midwest | South | West | |
| Suspend Campaigns | 14% | 18% | 10% | 13% | 11% | 16% | 15% | 12% | 16% | 11% | 15% | 25% | 26% | 20% | 10% | 11% | 21% | 11% | 10% | 21% | 8% | 9% | 14% | 9% | 15% | 15% |
| Continue Campaign | 31% | 34% | 28% | 28% | 33% | 35% | 29% | 30% | 32% | 33% | 32% | 23% | 23% | 31% | 31% | 33% | 34% | 35% | 27% | 29% | 34% | 26% | 28% | 35% | 31% | 31% |
| Re-focus The Campaign | 48% | 44% | 52% | 54% | 48% | 42% | 45% | 51% | 44% | 51% | 42% | 38% | 49% | 41% | 53% | 49% | 39% | 48% | 60% | 44% | 53% | 50% | 51% | 50% | 45% | 48% |
| Not Sure | 7% | 4% | 10% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 11% | 6% | 8% | 6% | 12% | 14% | 2% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 3% | 7% | 6% | 16% | 6% | 6% | 9% | 6% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 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 Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 32% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 60% | 40% | 72% | 11% | 11% | 6% | 31% | 39% | 23% | 27% | 37% | 18% | 43% | 49% | 8% | 20% | 22% | 35% | 22% |
| 3 | If Friday's presidential debate does not take place, would that be good for America? Bad for America? Or would it make no difference? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Who Will Win? | Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | Northeas | Midwest | South | West | |
| Good For America | 14% | 15% | 12% | 14% | 8% | 14% | 21% | 11% | 17% | 13% | 14% | 19% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 9% | 17% | 11% | 13% | 17% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 12% | 17% | 12% |
| Bad For America | 46% | 44% | 47% | 45% | 53% | 45% | 34% | 49% | 41% | 47% | 58% | 32% | 28% | 39% | 53% | 46% | 38% | 50% | 54% | 38% | 54% | 38% | 44% | 53% | 42% | 45% |
| No Difference | 35% | 37% | 34% | 34% | 34% | 36% | 37% | 34% | 37% | 37% | 22% | 30% | 50% | 41% | 27% | 41% | 39% | 33% | 29% | 40% | 29% | 43% | 41% | 31% | 34% | 35% |
| Not Sure | 6% | 4% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 19% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 10% | 4% | 4% | 7% | 8% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 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 Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 32% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 60% | 40% | 72% | 11% | 11% | 6% | 31% | 39% | 23% | 27% | 37% | 18% | 43% | 49% | 8% | 20% | 22% | 35% | 22% |
| 4 | If Friday's presidential debate does not take place, would that be good for john McCain, bad for john McCain, or would it make no difference? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Who Will Win? | Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | Northeas | Midwest | South | West | |
| Good For McCain | 21% | 25% | 17% | 25% | 18% | 21% | 16% | 22% | 19% | 21% | 25% | 19% | 16% | 14% | 26% | 21% | 16% | 21% | 30% | 18% | 26% | 10% | 22% | 26% | 20% | 14% |
| Bad For McCain | 21% | 19% | 23% | 20% | 26% | 19% | 19% | 23% | 19% | 21% | 32% | 16% | 18% | 16% | 26% | 21% | 15% | 26% | 19% | 16% | 26% | 12% | 17% | 14% | 28% | 22% |
| No Difference | 52% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 48% | 51% | 57% | 51% | 53% | 53% | 37% | 53% | 61% | 62% | 43% | 54% | 61% | 48% | 46% | 60% | 43% | 66% | 57% | 53% | 45% | 56% |
| Not Sure | 6% | 5% | 8% | 2% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 5% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 13% | 5% | 8% | 6% | 4% | 9% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 12% | 3% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 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 Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 32% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 60% | 40% | 72% | 11% | 11% | 6% | 31% | 39% | 23% | 27% | 37% | 18% | 43% | 49% | 8% | 20% | 22% | 35% | 22% |
| 5 | If Friday's presidential debate does not take place, would that be good for Barack Obama, bad for Barack Obama? Or would it make no difference? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Who Will Win? | Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Other | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | McCain | Obama | Not Sure | Northeas | Midwest | South | West | |
| Good For Obama | 16% | 18% | 14% | 17% | 14% | 16% | 18% | 15% | 17% | 15% | 19% | 22% | 14% | 17% | 18% | 12% | 18% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 16% | 9% | 13% | 16% | 19% | 14% |
| Bad For Obama | 26% | 26% | 27% | 33% | 28% | 22% | 18% | 30% | 20% | 25% | 31% | 28% | 27% | 19% | 30% | 28% | 20% | 27% | 28% | 21% | 32% | 19% | 27% | 28% | 25% | 27% |
| No Difference | 52% | 51% | 52% | 48% | 50% | 54% | 59% | 49% | 56% | 55% | 45% | 37% | 52% | 58% | 47% | 55% | 55% | 54% | 51% | 56% | 47% | 59% | 57% | 49% | 48% | 54% |
| Not Sure | 6% | 5% | 7% | 2% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 12% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 7% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 13% | 4% | 7% | 7% | 5% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 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 Adults | 100% | 48% | 52% | 32% | 28% | 24% | 17% | 60% | 40% | 72% | 11% | 11% | 6% | 31% | 39% | 23% | 27% | 37% | 18% | 43% | 49% | 8% | 20% | 22% | 35% | 22% |