Mississippi: McCain 52%, Obama 41%

A new Rasmussen Reports poll says McCain has opened an 11-point lead over Obama in Mississippi.

McCain now leads his Democratic opponent by 11 points 52% to 41%, after maintaining a 6-point lead for the previous two months in a row. Counting “leaners,” McCain leads 54% to 42%.

The Republican candidate has gained slightly in terms of favorables. He is now viewed favorably by 64% of voters here, up from 58% in June. Obama has held roughly steady from last month, with 47% viewing him favorably and 51% unfavorably.

Rasmussen Markets data shows that McCain is given a 85.0% chance of carrying Mississippi in November. The state is classified as “Likely Republican” by the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator.

Half of Mississippi voters rate economic issues as their number one concern this election cycle, followed by 26% who rank national security at the top. Seventy percent (70%) of Mississippi voters say lowering the price of gas and oil is more important than protecting the environment, but 20% disagree. This is significantly higher than the national averages on this question.

There is a growing feeling among voters throughout the country that the U.S. and its allies are winning the war on terror, 59% of voters in Mississippi feel that way, while 19% say the terrorists are winning and 16% say it’s a draw.

Forty-one percent (41%) say President Bush is doing a good or an excellent job, while the identical number (41%) rate his performance as poor.

McCain Signs at Neshoba Fair

Volunteers made sure that John McCain's campaign was represented at this year's Neshoba County Fair in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Signs dress the light poles inside the Fair and yard signs line the interstates coming into this, the annual epicenter of Mississippi politics.
Dozens of McCain signs; zero Obama signs.

Executed Criminal's Last Wish: Vote Obama

It seems here was a Mississippian who supported Barack Obama.

Before he died Wednesday evening, death row inmate Dale Leo Bishop apologized to his victim's family, thanked America and urged people to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. "For those who oppose the death penalty and want to see it end, our best bet is to vote for Barack Obama because his supporters have been working behind the scenes to end this practice," Bishop said.

(Read the full story at the Clarion Ledger: Bishop put to death: Apology precedes execution)

Media Hearts Obama

You saw John McCain's ad "Love" below, but now you can see another kind of love, the love that the media has for Barack Obama. Don't expect them to be fair or objective in covering this race. Take a look at these clips (and vote for your favorite love music to go along) at JohnMcCain.com of the media swooning for Obama.

Mississippi Democratic Party spins Obama

The Mississippi Democratic Party continues to spin that Barack Obama has a shot at winning Mississippi. They like to cite the historic turnout in the Democratic Primary earlier this year as evidence. 434,110 voters picked a candidate in the Democratic Primary; most of them (61.2%) picked Obama. But that leaves 168,608 Democrats who chose someone else. Now many of them will come around a tow the party line and back Obama. But a lot of them just couldn't wait until November to vote against Obama. And those Democrats - call them Clinton Democrats, call them Reagan Democrats, call them Fordice Democrats - will join with Republicans and independents to vote for John McCain. Does Obama have a shot at Mississippi? Sure. There are only two ways to run: scared or unopposed. If we run scared, work hard, contribute, and turn out our voters, then Mississippi will be well within John McCain's winning column.

Southeast Campaign HQ

To contact McCain's Southeast Campaign HQ - the region including Mississippi - see below:

Southeast Regional Headquarters
420 East Jefferson Street
3rd Floor
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Office number is 850-391-4219
Office fax is 850-681-2063
Email Mississippi staff at mississippi@johnmccain.com

John McCain Ad: Love

Meet the new Democrat, same as the old Democrat

Back in the Spring, I told people the best scenario for Republicans would be for the Clinton-Obama contest to continue all the way to the Democratic Convention with the Clintons using the super delegates to win and disenchanting all the young and progressive energy in the Democratic Party two months before the election.

I was wrong. That would have created a liberal martyr and made Obama that much more powerful in four years.

The best scenario now is playing out: Obama is discrediting himself with his base.

The hope for a new transformational politician has faded. The hope of an elevated debate on the issues became this threat by Obama regarding an ugly general election campaign, "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun." It is hard to be an idealist and a pragmatist at the same time.

Then came policy flip-flops.

Progressives love public financing to take "big money" out of politics. Obama pledged to run with public financing. Then he discovered the free market (as he calls it a "parallel public financing system" one in which the public decides...aka private financing) provides more resources and bailed on public financing. The left forgave him, after all, they want to win and it’s only the most wonkish intellectual liberals who want public financing anyway.

Then came the other shoes to drop. Moderating his position on abortion and guns; moving conservative on the issue of the death penalty; execution for bin Laden; he once opposed cracking down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants and now he is for it.

Liberals see all these as troubling, but they are pragmatic, they want to win.

The defining issue first distinguishing Obama and Clinton: the Iraq War. Obama was for full and immediate withdrawal within 16 months of taking office. MoveOn.org was dancing in the streets. Now Obama says he will listen to the military commanders, like President Bush is doing, and may "refine" his position.

Say it ain't so, O.

Obama was going to filibuster the FISA bill and stand up for all the liberal bloggers who didn't want the government spying on Americans and who were impassioned that big telecom companies not get immunity from lawsuits.

Instead he voted for the measure. Nobama, please, Nobama.

Markos Moulitsas, Grand High Pooba of liberal bloggers said before the vote, "He (Obama) spent the last two years telling us how he's going to be the leader of the free world ... not to mention the Democratic party and this nation.... I think there are people like us that are hoping to see some of that leadership.... I don't want to hear talk about leadership... I want to see him do it... If he does not, I think we may worry that he's just one of these spineless Democrats who are more afraid of controversy.. than doing the right thing."

Now Art Levine who has written for every major left wing publication since the Port Huron Statement (The New Republic, Mother Jones, Slate, Salon) posts "Will Netroots 'Hold their Noses' in Backing Obama?" He posted his comments at The Huffington Post. Et Tu Netrootae?

Some bloggers are willing to give Obama another shot and let his pick for vice president shore up his base. Let me get this straight, the nonpartisan National Journal rankings place Obama as the most liberal U.S. Senator and he needs a running mate to shore up his left wing? Who is he going to pick? Ralph Nader? Hugo Chavez?

The mainstream media is comparing Obama to McCain. The left wing is comparing Obama to Bush. If this keeps up, we'll all be comparing Obama to John Kerry when this is done with.

The New York Times: Obama supporters on the far left cry foul
The New Yorker: Obama's flip-flop flap
Midwest Voices: Obama's FISA flip-flop angers liberal bloggers

Polls: Mississippi Likes John McCain

Associated Content contends Mississippi will go for McCain.

Although the Mississippi primary showed Barack Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton 61 to 31 percent, recent research polls show John McCain has a strong lead over Obama in a state that is 39 percent African-American. Mississippi is the only state with this large an African-American percentage, according to the 2000 census.

Mississippi is considered a Republican state, as no Democrat has won the state since 1976 when Jimmy Carter ran for President.

Rasmussen shows McCain with an 80 percent chance of winning Mississippi's six votes in November.

Pollsters Rasmussen Reports (5/29/08) McCain over Obama 50 over 44.
Research 2000 (5/23/08) Research 2000 shows McCain is the favorite 54% to Obamas 39%.
Survey USA (3/6/08) gave McCain the lead over Obama 54% to 41%.

Read the full story here: Polls: Mississippi Likes John McCain (Hat Tip Y'all Politics)