The mosr recent Washington Post poll, Greg Mitchell of Editor & Publisher writes, "appears to put to bed the notion that Barack Obama will be whupped by John McCain within a key demographic, costing him the race for the White House. Actually, Obama easily leads among white, working-class voters -- at least those toward the lower income level among fulltime wage earners."

He continuies, "The fact that he has a big lead among lower-wage workers (defined here as working 30 hours or more a week and earning $27,000 or less) is no shock, based on his broad support among minorities. But the big revelation looked at the white vote. The Post's lead notes that "even among white workers -- a group of voters that has been targeted by both parties as a key to victory in November -- Obama leads McCain by 10 percentage points, 47 percent to 37 percent, and has the advantage as the more empathetic candidate."

Further: "On the important question of which candidate understands their needs, Obama tops McCain by 3-1."

Can we bag this working-class-loves-Hillary bullshit, EVER???

Is it another reason why Obama isn't crushing him yet? Maybe you can ask Ben Ginsberg! Or even better -- Rove! Maybe Joan Walsh will give you another lead article then. Be sure to read The Politico first, though ... "Seven Reasons for Obama to be Worried." Did you ghost that one?

I didn't get past your first sentence, so I don't even know what she said yet. Let me guess: something concern-trollish about Democrats. Whatever. Joan, why do you give credence to such people? Do you even read their work before you decide to talk to them? Who next? Richard Cohen? Milbank? The WaPo has become a sad joke.

I'm pretty old and not just mouthing off like this is my first election season ... but the GOP has done nothing but pander and lie, as usual ... and as usual, it works. Of course I have yet to hear a Democrat ask "what about the 70- million leased acres the oil companies are sitting on?" That might actually be a decent argument. Easier to copy the GOP pander, and look typically weak, afraid to take your own side in a fight. That said, I simply can't wrap my mind around the posibility that this country could elect an addled, lying, phony, vicious little creep like John McCain, a Bush clone, after what the Republicans have done to our country.

But I'd better get used to the idea.

Meet the American voter.

Nice phraseology, Tom. I might have said, "ignorant, hate-filled racists" who'd rather get fucked over by Republicans than rub two brain cells together.

Again ... we're BEGGING you. Also, nice job (if you were on McCain's team) on Hardball tonight. Why not just call Obama a pussy?

I mean, you're kidding with this, right?

Please. The country is begging you.

I checked the internals on a few states, including Pennsylvania. The poll has an equal number of men and women ... and all of 12 percent of respondents are younger than 29, with 48 percent older than 50. 89 percent white, five percent black. Democrats 36 percent, Republicans 34.5. These figures are absurd on their race. Anything for a horse race, I guess. I don't think Obama is losing sleep over this. It's only a matter of margin as to how much he wins by.

Although that's true too, with the 89-5.

Or idiots. Maybe both. Vote for McCain, then. The only problem is the rest of us have to live with the results too.

What can one even say? As long as jackasses like this exist, so will the GOP. Maybe when your factory job goes away, "Tim," you can count on eight-houses-thirteen-cars McCain to protect you from your now-personal recession. Turn off Hannity and get a brain, you ridiculous loser.

You said it. I'll feel about an ounce sorry for SP on the human level -- maybe -- on November 5. But mostly I'll be laughing with joy.

I can no longer keep silent. The race is 'volatile'? Are you on glue? Seriously, I keep seeing your posts that take Palin seriously but this is too much. You quote the Gallup tracker going 8-6-4. Okay. Try these: Research 2000: 7,9,10,10. Rasmussen: 6,5,6,6. Hotline: 5,5,6,5. CBS: 9. CNN: 7. Pew: 7. State polls just the last two days: Pennsylvania, 8, 15. Florida: 8, 4. Florida: 8, 3, 4, 4. It gets worse. The only mystery about this election is Obama's final margin. So just stop with your 'volatile.' And for God's sake, Palin is a freaking punch line around the country, a sad, pathetic joke whose poll numbers are plummeting across the board. Like McCain? Fine. But don't spread your nonsense here; this isn't Red State or Free Republic. Salon readers -- for the most part -- are grounded in reality.

How in God's name can people think like this? DECADES of evidence that conservatism is a disaster on every level, and there they are ... in a force-field of stupid. I hope they all cry on election night.

Is there a law among political writers that require such fake-balance nonsense? Ayers and Keating: which one has to do with McCain's history of sleaze and financial deregulation (a little bit of which I've heard in the news lately), and which one has nothing to do with anything meaningful whatsoever to anyone outside the pathetic McCain "campaign"?

Palin? PALIN? For God's sake, woman -- come back from Pluto!

Are you still cherry-picking the least-awful polls for McCain? Are you still on glue, or just huffing aerosol? You DID see Gallup today, right? Ten? ABC? Ten? Research 2000? Twelve? Rasmussen for Ohio, Florida, Virginia today? All with Obama leads? Are you gonna stop or are you just putting us all on?