Talk about mixed results within one poll (CNN's)

[highplainsdem]

There's a new CNN poll out this morning, and it shows Sanders with a 3-point lead over Biden, though CNN points out that's within the MOE, so they're statistically tied. (Warren is at 14%, and Buttigieg is at 11%.)

They did GE polling as well, and found Biden doing better against Trump (+9) than Sanders does (+7).

They asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who has the best chance of beating Trump:
Biden 45%
Sanders 24%

Same group, asked who has the best chance of uniting the country:
Biden 38%
Sanders 22%

Same group, asked who has the best chance of uniting the Democratic Party:
Biden 41%
Sanders 16%

Sanders led Biden when the same group was asked who agrees with the voter most on issues (30% to 20%) and who best understands problems facing people like the voter (29% to 18%).

But the same group said that having a candidate who shares their positions on issues is less important (35%) than having a candidate with a strong chance of beating Trump (57%).

And the same group ALSO said that advocating for major changes even if they have less chance of becoming law is less important (36%) than advocating for policies that have a good chance of becoming law, even if the changes they make aren't that big (58%).


Those questions indicate that the majority of the party would agree with Biden, with roughly a third agreeing with Sanders.

And Biden's way ahead when Democrats are asked who's most electable and who has the best chance of uniting the country, and uniting the party.

So Sanders' slim lead seems to be due to the leftwing vote (41% total) being divided between only two candidates, while the larger not-so-far-left vote is divided among several candidates (Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and Bloomberg, totalling 44%).

And the majorities in favor of electability over agreement on issues, and achievable incremental change over big change less likely to be achievable, indicates the remaining 15% tend to be more moderate than leftwing Democrats.

Which will favor Biden as the field narrows, even if Sanders has a small lead in this poll.

[BeyondGeography]

1. Time for Joe to get out of cruise control and do some actual battling

The poll-clinging season is over.

[highplainsdem]

2. Joe's been doing actual battling, hasn't been in cruise control. And it's silly to

talk about "poll-clinging season" when polls will continue all year.

[BeyondGeography]

3. He throws one punch at Sanders for every three or four he takes

Bernie unloads on Joe, says he has a lot of baggage, and spells it out. Joe laughs and says, “Bernie has a lot of baggage.” No details. That’s not battling.

[UncleNoel]

4. Thanks fr this!

This is the real thing:

They did GE polling as well, and found Biden doing better against Trump (+9) than Sanders does (+7).

They asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who has the best chance of beating Trump:
Biden 45%
Sanders 24%

Same group, asked who has the best chance of uniting the country:
Biden 38%
Sanders 22%

Same group, asked who has the best chance of uniting the Democratic Party:
Biden 41%
Sanders 16%

[highplainsdem]

7. You're welcome, UncleNoel!

[highplainsdem]

5. Biden intends to unite the party, and the country. And polling indicates Democrats think Biden

has the best chance of doing that.

[beastie boy]

6. I don't know how well Bernie's batting is working for hm. Looks more like striking out to me.

Bernie's every swing at Joe seems to diminish Bernie's credibility and integrity, one little bit at a time.

Perhaps it's a good long-term strategy for Joe not to go tit for tat.

Reminds me of a George Bernard Shaw quote: "I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."