Overall, the poll showed the presidential race in a statistical tie, with 47 percent of likely voters backing McCain and 45 percent backing Obama.
For Republican John McCain, the good news is that his selection of Sarah Palin, the charismatic, fresh-faced governor of Alaska, shored up his support among evangelical voters — a key part of the Republican base who had been lukewarm about McCain — as well as men and older women.
But a new St. Petersburg Times/Bay New 9/Miami Herald poll also found that Palin has not brought the bounce among women overall that many Republican analysts had predicted for McCain. Both candidates also lost some support due to their picks, the poll found, but not enough to offset the gains.
The poll was published in the St. Petersburg Times. Beneath the headline was a photo of Palin with the caption: "Sarah Palin shores up McCain’s support among evangelicals, but a pollster says the choice is being eclipsed by the economy." No big surprises. She was catnip for the base.
"It's a tie," said Tom Eldon, a Democratic pollster for SEA Polling and Strategic Design, which produced the poll in conjunction with the Polling Co., a Republican firm.
The poll survey 800 registered voters ending September 17--before Wall Street really went around the bend and before McCain did too.
Here are some of the interesting details:
• Among Clinton supporters, 16 percent said Palin made them more likely to vote for McCain — but 56 percent said Biden made them more likely to vote for Obama.
• Among working women, 34 percent said they were more likely to vote for McCain because of Palin, but 36 percent said they were now less likely to vote for him. Conversely, 40 percent of working women said the selection of Biden made them more likely to vote for Obama, compared to 25 percent who said they were now less likely to back Obama.
• Among men, 42 percent said Palin makes them more likely to vote for McCain, compared to just 37 percent of women overall.
• And among white born-again Christians, a crucial part of the Republican base, a whopping 60 percent say they are now more likely to vote for McCain because of Palin.
While Palin may have proved helpful among conservatives, Biden's 35 years in the Senate seems to have been a plus for Obama, a first-term senator. When asked for their first impression of Biden, 21 percent said "experience," more than any other attribute.
For Beth Beall of Land O'Lakes, a former Clinton supporter, Biden certainly helped balance Obama's resume.
"At first I was like, pick Hillary, but the more I thought about it I didn't think … they would be a good match," said Beall, 45, an administrative assistant and Democrat.
"I may not agree with everything he's done, but he's solid, he's known, he shows experience. Says things he probably shouldn't sometimes, but I don't feel like he's coached."
I like that one. I added the bold print.