Archive - October 6, 2008 - The Page by Mark Halperin

From national survey, among registered voters: Obama 49, McCain 43 Dates conducted: Oct. 4-5. Error margin: 3.8 points. To get more from the survey, including favorables/unfavorables for Palin and Biden, click here. Permalink

CBS News Data: Race Still Tight

Among likely voters nationally: Obama 48, McCain 45 Dates conducted: Oct. 3-5. Error margin: 3 points. Read more here. Permalink

Obama Strong in ABC/WashPost Ohio Stats

Among likely voters statewide: Obama 51, McCain 45 Oct. 3-5. Error margin: 3.5 points. Read more here. Permalink

Palin Keeps It Up: Hammers Obama's "Truthfulness and Judgment"

The Alaska Governor continues her full-out assault on Obama, suggests he and his campaign aren't being honest on Obama's knowledge of Ayers' radical background. Says it's part of a "pattern," lists other issues she thinks he'll claim he didn't know the facts on. "What next? Claiming their ticket doesn’t define higher taxes as 'patriotic?'" Read more excerpts here. Permalink

Obama Campaign Tries Pre-Emptive Debunking

Campaign memo seeks to head off possible McCain claims on taxes, Ayers and more. Read it here. , 5:40 PM

Michelle Obama Back in North Carolina

Obama hosts a forum in Jacksonville Tuesday to talk about the challenges that military families face when a member is deployed. Permalink

Poll: Obama's National Lead Widens

From CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll, among likely voters: Obama 53, McCain 45 In late September poll: Obama 51, McCain 47 Dates conducted: Oct. 3-5. Error margin: 3.5 points. Permalink

MCCAIN HITS OBAMA WITH HARDEST LANGUAGE YET

"Who is the real Senator Obama?" the Arizona Senator asks during a sharply worded speech in Albuquerque. Click above for video. "I don’t need lessons about telling the truth to American people. And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn’t seek advice from a Chicago politician." Adds: "I didn’t just show up out of nowhere, after all-– America knows me." Essential reading: For the full, tough speech click here. Permalink

Marist Data: Obama Stronger on Health Care

Latest poll asks who is the better candidate to tackle health care. Among registered voters: Obama 51, McCain 38 Despite the financial crisis, 78% say it's better for the next president to deal with health care event if it means greater government debt. Read more here (pdf). Permalink

Obama: Voters Don't Want "Political Shenanigans and Smear Tactics"

Speaking in Asheville, North Carolina, the candidate says McCain's attacks are designed to distract voters from their main concern-- the economy. "The notion that we would want to brush that aside and engage in the usual political shenanigans and smear tactics... is not what the American people are looking for." Read full remarks here and watch video here. Permalink

What It Takes: Monday Edition

HALPERIN'S TAKE: The five most important people in American politics right now— who aren't running for president. Permalink

Palin: Cutting Taxes Obama's "Phoniest" Claim Yet

The Alaska Governor keeps up her rough attacks against Obama at a fundraiser in Florida’s Naples Beach Hotel Monday, pushing him on taxes. Tells donors: "I think that the phoniest claim yet, in a campaign that has been full of phony claims, is that Barack Obama is going to cut your taxes.” Also reiterates that she advised McCain he might as well “take the gloves off” in his Tuesday night debate. Permalink

American History Lesson, Keating Edition

McCain attorney John Dowd attempts to set the record straight on McCain and the Keating Five scandal in a media call. Describes his former relationship with Charles Keating as "social friends," calls situation a "classic political smear-job on John." Thinks that the committee went too far in suggesting that McCain’s intervention with regulators was poor judgment. McCain aide Brian Rogers tries to move conversation back to Ayers, accuses Obama of not acting honorably in describing his relationship with him. Listen to the call here. Permalink

Obama Campaign on Medi-Offensive

Obama camp holds media call with Sen. Casey, former Sen. Graham on McCain's proposal for major reductions to Medicare, Medicaid. Casey: "Deregulating health care is not putting your country first." Suggests his plan would put older citizens and "vulnerable Americans" at risk. Comes after WSJ features the proposal in Monday story. Permalink

McCain Camp Jumps on Apparent Obama Ayers Chronological Adjustment

A statement shrugs off the Obama team's claim that the Democrat didn't know of Ayers' radical past when he attended an event in Ayers' home in 1995. "...Obama was promoting Ayers' book in 1997, serving on boards with him until 2002, and trading emails and phone calls with him as recently as 2005." Read the full response. In a CNN interview broadcast Monday morning, Obama strategist Axelrod claimed Obama "didn't know the history" before attending the Ayers event. Click above to watch the video that started it all. Permalink