Previously, any post-win bounce that Hillary Clinton obtained in Gallup’s tracking poll would disappear after a day or two. This time, with her Pennsylvania win having coincided with the reappearance of Jeremiah Wright, the story is a little different:
PRINCETON, NJ — National Democratic voters are essentially divided in their presidential nomination preferences between Hillary Clinton (47%) and Barack Obama (46%), according to April 27-29 Gallup Poll Daily tracking results.
For the last six days, the Democratic contenders have been separated by no more than one percentage point. Obama held statistically significant leads for much of April, but since Clinton’s victory in the Pennsylvania primary, the candidates have been running about even. (To view the complete trend since Jan. 3, 2008, click here.)
Tuesday, Obama attempted to put the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy behind him by denouncing his former pastor’s recent comments in the media. Tuesday night’s interviews show no immediate impact of Obama’s remarks on voter preferences. With the Indiana and North Carolina primaries looming next Tuesday, the candidates also find themselves in a rare policy disagreement over a proposal to suspend the federal gasoline tax for the summer months, with Clinton in favor of doing so and Obama opposed.
The connection between Wright’s appearances on Bill Moyers’ show, before the NAACP, and at the National Press Club, and the tightening in the polls is so obvious that it doesn’t really need to be stated.
What will be interesting is whether Obama’s statement on Tuesday, and subsequent efforts to move beyond the Wright story, will have an impact on the race.
H/T: Donklephant
