The Republican Spin Machine is trying to rewrite history. Again. They are creating a frame that, just watch, they intend to milk throughout the 2012 election cycle. Here it is:
The only reason Barack Obama is ahead in the polls is because of the economic crisis.
This is a lie. And what's more, it's demonstrably a lie. All we have to do is look at the poll trend-line.
More after the jump...
All polls are taken from RealClearPolitics poll averages.
OBAMA NOMINATED
As soon as Obama receives the nomination, he is more than two points ahead. Probably within MOE, but McCain is definitely not ahead.
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
Notice that Obama is ahead THE ENTIRE time until the Democratic Convention, and then receives a mojor bump. As was expected.
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
The only time since nominations were finalized that McCain received a clear advantage over Obama was immediately after the Republican Convention. And there is always an EXPECTED post-convention bump. Perhaps Palin "energized the base," but the trend-line follows the same pattern that the post-convention Obama bump did.
FANNY & FREDDIE COLLAPSE
On Spetember 9, 2008, Fanny & Freddie are placed into conservatorship by the US. But notice that this happens at the peak of the convention bump. We EXPECT a decline at this point, regardless of the financial situation!
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
After the convention bumps, McCain settles into trailing Obama like before. I'm not saying that the economics are not a factor in helping Obama widen his lead, but to say that the only reason McCain is ahead of Obama is because of the economic collapse is to completely misread and spin these polls. When you read polls you must make conclusions based on trends.
Do us all a favor, so that we don't have to listen to this cop-out for the next four years, and counter their damn lies with facts!