POLL: Hillary 42 (-11), Obama 37 (+14), Edwards 11 (+1)

[jefferson_dem]

POLL: Transformed by Iowa and N.H., '08 Kicks Off as a Free-for-All
McCain and Obama mix things up

<SNIP>

Obama likewise is reaping benefits from winning the Iowa caucuses and coming within two points of Clinton in New Hampshire. He now challenges her as the most electable candidate. He's severely eroded her reputation as its strongest leader and sharply improved his trust to handle key issues. And in overall preference Clinton and Obama now are all but tied, 42-37 percent among likely voters, a dramatic tightening.

An important question is how well both McCain and Obama's newfound popularity translates in the state-by-state slog of primaries. McCain's gained more ground among independents and moderates than among the conservatives and mainline Republicans at the party's core -- the bridge he failed to cross in 2000. And his age is a potential problem; three in 10 Americans say it dampens their enthusiasm for him.

Like McCain, Obama's gains have come more among independents than among his party's regulars, and he remains notably vulnerable on experience. But he's also soared in a key Democratic group -- African-Americans, who've switched from favoring Clinton by 52-39 percent a month ago to an even larger preference for Obama, 60-32 percent, today.

While Obama also has drawn much closer among whites, preferences of blacks are highly significant in some upcoming races; in the past blacks have accounted for 47 percent of Democratic voters in South Carolina (Jan. 26) and Georgia (Feb. 5), 46 percent in Louisiana (Feb. 9) and more than a third in Virginia and Maryland (Feb. 12).

VOTE PREFERENCE -- The changes in overall preferences in both races are remarkable. Among Democratic likely voters, Obama's gained 14 points and Clinton's lost 11 since the last ABC/Post poll, completed Dec. 9. John Edwards is flat, at 11 percent support.

POLL: Clinton Fends Off Obama in N.H. With More Committed SupportGiven sample sizes, Clinton's 5-point advantage over Obama is not statistically significant at the customary 95 percent confidence level; it's 75 percent likely to be a real lead. She still leads among women, but now by 11 points, vs. a vast 39 points last month. And Obama now leads nationally among men, 9 points ahead of Clinton.

<SNIP>

http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Vote2008/story?id=4128343&page=1

MUCH DATA HERE ---> http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1057a1The08Race.pdf

[skipos]

1. Just say no to the status quo: Hillary (and her triangulating windsock politics). nt

[HughMoran]

2. jefferson_dem, meet HermanMunster - the battle of the polls shall commence at midnight

:rofl:

This is the most hilarious time I've ever spent on DU. I'm glad I could care less which one wins!

[Beausoir]

3. Cage match!

[Proud2BAmurkin]

4. Yet another poll where Obama fails to catch up after all this time

and after no negative press. wow

[9119495]

5. Well, he did gain double while Clinton lost double.

Just sayin.

[Adelante]

6. Very interesting movement here

There are differences in issue concerns within the two parties, but, again a first, the economy now outstrips other issues among Democrats and Republicans alike.

These could play out in vote preferences. On the Democratic side, Clinton leads Obama by 46-33 percent as the candidate who's best trusted to handle the economy, but that's contracted sharply from a 58-18 percent Clinton lead last month -- a 12-point loss for Clinton and a 15-point gain for Obama.

-snip

Other issues underscore the impressive shifts in both races. Obama now challenges Clinton in trust to handle the Iraq war; it's 40-36 percent, compared with a 2-1 Clinton advantage, 51-26 percent, a month ago. And it's Clinton +9 in trust to handle terrorism, down from her 27-point advantage last month.

In one of her best issues, health care, Clinton leads Obama by a still-wide 54-27 percent, but that's also better for Obama than it's been.