The war between the Russians and the Georgians gave Rasmussen a hot new topic on which to poll Americans. Is anyone surprised that McCain comes off more favorably than Obama on something that’s perceived as a national security issue?
3* Which presidential candidate is best equipped to handle a crisis like the one in Georgia – Barack Obama or John McCain?
36% Barack Obama
51% John McCain
14% Not sure
Read more about the results here.
If you are surprised by McCain’s strong showing over Obama on this issue, you haven’t been paying attention. This came up during the Democratic primary and the bitter in-fighting. On March 2, I wrote:
Everybody made fun of [Hillary's] 3 a.m. fear-mongering video, but everyone talked about it. And then talked about it some more. Including Obama. And her message got through to those it was aimed at: Democrats who want someone strong to be commander in chief.
Lanny Davis, reading the recent Pew poll results, tells it like it is to Obama supporters: their guy is shockingly weak in this area in the general election.
The headline makes his point: “The Ringing Phone Reflects, Doesn’t Invent, Voter Concerns Already Seen in Polling Data.”
For example, according to the Pew data:
the first word volunteered when Democrats are asked to name an impression of Senator Obama to Pew is the word “inexperienced.”
Conversely, the first word associated with Senator Cliton is “experienced.” Twenty-five percent of all Democrats say that Senator Obama is “not tough enough in his approach to foreign policy issues.”
Obama’s whirlwind world tour, hailed though it was by the MSM as a triumph because he didn’t make any “gaffes” (that’s setting the bar rather low, don’t you think?), appears to have done nothing to burnish his foreign-policy or national security credentials.
And I hate to say it, but Bill Clinton will probably prove to be right once again.
