Eric - I'd like to see you tout these matchup polls in CO, NV, MN, IA, VA, NC, and others that ALL have Obama running better.

Something you clearly forgot to mention: It is important to note that if she manages to steal the nomination, those numbers will change.

This is not meaningful coming right after the primary, and what it really shows is that both are very close in relation to McCain. PA is a traditionally organized state among Democrats, and come November the Rendell etc. machines will turn out the support needed by any Democratic nominee.

The Clinton campaign has already gone on the record saying the polls are meaningless.

Please for the love of everything holy and a few things that are not will you stop giving dramatic interpretations to minuscule margins in polls that reveal anything about anything.

You are addicted to meaningless polls and stupid enough to think you know what they mean.

It burns. It burns.

Obama doing better among independents means that he is the "stronger" one. The base will come back to Obama.

Sure, sure, no doubt. The Pollster.com trend lines definitely show that (at least at present) she is the stronger candidate in PA (a blue state in 2004). You know what else they show? They show that Obama does better in MN and WI; his support there is waxing, hers is waning.

PA has 21 electoral votes. MN & WI together have 20. In other words, even if we grant the premise that these polls mean anything at this stage in the game, it is not clear that they really prove that Sen Clinton is any stronger a candidate than Sen Obama.

So Obama is in a statistical tie with McCain after all the shit that was thrown at him over the last 6 weeks? And I'm supposed to be concerned about electability? It gives me confidence that when we get to August, Obama's going to romp over McCain. It won't be close....

I'm really trying not to be negative about this, but the choice of what gets posted as significant news by Greg and how he treats it is getting to be an irritant in my life that I could do without. I'd hate to give up on this site -- mainly because of the commenters and a kind of community they embody --, but I'm no masochist.

Also, Obama running stronger against McCain in Indiana, where this poll gives him an 8 point lead (to Clinton's tie with McCain).

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/NEWS0502/80424082

The above information to me shows that obama can't win big democratic states such as pennsylvania.... he would lose to john mccain.... we can't afford to have another republican in the white house for 4/8 years.... we must have someone who can take us forward and that person is hillary clinton... Obama can't win over the working class white blue collar voters and hispanics then how are we going to win in november.....

How can we give this thing to Obama, he doesn't want to debate with hillary on live tv anymore... will he do the same in the fall and say, i don't want to have debates with john mccain.... we can't afford someone this young with no experience to run the white house....

If you live in Indiana, North Carolina.... Go out on may 6 and vote for hillary clinton....remember the clinton years, they were great.... lets bring american back to what it use to be....

don't forget, it took a clinton to clean up the mess the first bush made and its going to take a second clinton to clean up the mess this bush has made..... NO MORE BUSH NO MORE BUSH.

GO HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would've expected worse. Considering how worried the pundits are over Obama's ability to compete in states such as Pa., the fact he is tied with McCain after a bruising loss is actually encouraging. I wouldn't have been surprised to see far more of her voters saying they'd go over to McCain. Right now, after the worst seven weeks of Obama's career, McCain polls only two points higher against him than the Clinton juggernaut. How would things look if the GOP had turned all its fire against her during this period? Obama's being vetted right now and he's handling it pretty well.

Apparently, Hillary's campaign for President of Pennsylvania has been successful.

Why in God's name is this story front and center on TPM right now? Where have the pronouncements been for all the other purple states that are leaving much more for Obama over McCain, than Clinton over McCain.

Sad.

I'd like to know how exactly Hillary Clinton plans to win Ohio and Pennsylvania with a black vote that's angry and alienated and stays home in large numbers after the superdelegates steal the nomination for her ...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/25/95724/5097/194/503215

Clyburn is right. People should be listening to him.

Specious data. Plain and simple.

Let McCain receive the same treatment from the Governor, and the Mayors of Philly and Pittsburgh that Obama received--then do a poll. It's a blue state. Don't kid yourself.

Not to sound like the Clinton camp (i.e. states that matter and states that don') but Obama's electoral path doesn't need a PA (or FL or OH for the matter).

That is not to say that PA should not be fought for, or cannot be won by Obama (I firmly believe it is winnable by Obama and will be won by Obama in the GE) but Obama can win the electoral college without PA, FL and OH. Hi path changes the map entirely from the tired and repeatedly failed strategy of 50+1 of FL, OH, PA as the must win swing states.

The Clinton math and the arguments, which get dutifully catapulted here at TPM of late, are a warmed over FAILED strategy of the last two cycles. It is recycled, flawed politics of the Bush/Clinton/Bush era.

I could have told Rasmussen that Clinton was stronger than Obama in PA for half the money they spent conducting that poll.

I just saw this on the main page...wtf?

Why is this big news?

Are we actually buying into Hillary's stupid electoral college argument here at TPM?

She just beat him in PA, I should hope she'd have more support. What the hell am I missing here?

Run for the hills!
Obama is doomed.
Live in fear, Democrats.
Only Hillary can save us all.

The poll right after the primary when feelings are high is touted as a "win" for McCain over Obama in PA with a one point spread? Have you ever heard the term statistical tie? And that's with Obama just going through a grueling PA race and McCain just coasting with no challenges? Phooey. Desperate talking points. What Hillary might have done in PA won't be the point, because she hasn't demonstrated an ability to close the deal. She isn't the one who has won this nomination all across America and she can't win it now either. Obama is at least as electable in America as she is AND he won the darn election. This is all just Clinton noise. She can't win unless a meteor hits Obama OR unless she can convince 70% if the remaining super delegates that they'd rather help her steal the election then ever be re-elected to public office again. Knowing politicians as you do, do you think 70% of them are ready to die for her?

Anyone who is a Clintonite who would vote for McCain over Obama is clearly voting on racist lines. Pennsylvania is chock-full of racists? Big surprise...even their governor, Ed Rendell, admits this.

Nothing Obama can do to change the color of his skin, so these are lost votes anyway. Better to continue to inspire new voters and independents who have a clue to join the movement.

Out with the old. In with the future.

OBAMA/WEBB 2008