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"Hillary Deathwatch" Odds: 12.4 Percent
Barack Obama's "bitter" comment gave Hillary Clinton an opening. But
the combination of hackneyed outrage and a fast counterpunch by Obama
suggests that the "scandal" may not last. Take Clinton down 1.8 points
to 12.4 percent.
On Day 4 of the controversy, journalists scramble to measure how much people care. So far, signs point to not really. A new Quinnipiac poll shows
Clinton's six-point lead in Pennsylvania holding steady. The poll
summary cites "no noticeable change" in the numbers on April 12-13,
when the "scandal" was entering full tilt. Then again, that was over
the weekend, when Pennsylvania voters were busy venting their
frustrations by shooting guns and going to church. Other surveys vary:
A SurveyUSA poll shows Clinton up 14 points in the state—less than her
18-point lead last week. A Rasmussen poll puts her ahead by nine
points, as opposed to five last week. An ARG poll shows Clinton jumping
from a tie to a 20-point lead but merits skepticism, given that it's a
robo-poll and a wild statistical outlier. Expect more thorough numbers
later this week.
Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence is mounting: Clinton gets shouted down when she brings up Obama's remarks at a forum; Pennsylvania booster in chief Gov. Ed Rendell downplays
the significance of the comments, saying it won't cost Obama more than
"a couple of points at the margin" (this could be more expectations
gaming, but still); undecided superdelegates seem largely nonplussed. ...
Read more at the Hillary Deathwatch.
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