http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/poll-obama-rises-in-voter-popularity/February 25, 2008, 2:58 pm
Poll: Obama Rises in Voter Popularity
By Megan Thee
Voters’ opinions of the top three presidential candidates have shifted significantly over the past two months, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.
Currently Senator Barack Obama is viewed more favorably than both Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator John McCain among all registered voters. Forty-five percent of voters said they have a favorable opinion of Mr. Obama, while about 35 percent have a favorable view of Mrs. Clinton and 36 percent said the same of Mr. McCain.
Mr. Obama is personally more well-liked than is Mrs. Clinton among those who vote in Democratic contests. Nearly 7 in 10 say they have a favorable opinion of Mr. Obama, the highest rating for him in a New York Times/CBS News poll since the start of the primaries. In contrast, Mrs. Clinton is viewed favorably by 61 percent of the party’s voters, down from 68 percent in December.
On the Republican side, Mr. McCain is enjoying a large boost from his party’s voters with 57 percent reporting they now have a favorable opinion of him, up 20 points from a December reading taken before the primaries and caucuses began.
Full poll results will be released later today.