Gallup's anemic Ryan bounce
Gallup may not be the most reliable pollster this cycle.
Questions remain as to whether they are undercounting non-whites as an explanation for why they are a few points negative on Obama compared to the polling averages.
But they do provide a "same pollster" comparison with enough data pre- and post-Ryan to conclude there is not much of a bounce.
Mitt Romney's standing in the presidential election campaign has not changed materially in the immediate days after his announcement of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate. The first four days of Gallup Daily tracking after Romney's announcement show 47% of registered voters saying they would vote for Romney and 45% for Barack Obama if the election were held today. The four days prior showed Romney at 46% and Obama at 45%.
Want to know why Democrats are the group most thrilled with Paul Ryan's selection? The first poll since the selection—and before Ryan is defined by the Obama campaign—comes from
USA Today/Gallup:
Americans don't believe GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney hit a home run with his choice of Paul Ryan as a running mate, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, with more of the public giving him lower marks than high ones.
Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, is seen as only a "fair" or "poor" choice by 42% of Americans vs. 39% who think he is an "excellent" or "pretty good" vice presidential choice.
The best part is the excuse from Republicans that, well, they don't know Ryan yet. Hah. Wait until they meet his budget.
USA TODAY/Gallup polls of registered voters after the announcements of running mates since Dick Cheney in 2000 all showed more positive reactions. Only Dan Quayle in a 1988 Harris Poll of likely voters was viewed less positively than Ryan, with 52% rating Quayle as a "fair" or "poor" vice presidential choice. The Ryan poll includes all adults, not just registered voters.
So remind me, comparisons to Dan Quayle and worse than Palin numbers help the Whatshisname-Ryan ticket how?
Cue the furious GOP spin machine. Every comparison is all good for John McCain. And don't you forget it.