GALLUP TRACKING POLL: Hillary 46 (-2), Obama 44 (+3)

[jefferson_dem]

PRINCETON, NJ -- Two days before the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses, Gallup Poll Daily tracking data show Hillary Clinton (46%) and Barack Obama (44%) in a statistical dead heat in national Democratic voters' preferences for the nomination. This is the closest the candidates have been since the daily tracking program began in early January.

The daily numbers suggest a fluid Democratic race in recent days, perhaps because Democrats are being asked to choose between two attractive options. Obama gradually reduced Clinton's national lead from 20 percentage points in Jan. 18-20 polling to three points in the Jan. 29-31 results. John Edwards' departure from the race has aided the tightening of the race, though only partly. Obama had closed within six points of Clinton at the time Edwards suspended his campaign on Jan. 30, but further tightening of the race suggests that Obama has benefited more from Edwards leaving than Clinton. Clinton appeared to reverse the trend toward Obama with a strong day on Feb. 1 -- the first day of interviewing after the Thursday night debate between the two candidates in Hollywood. But Saturday's polling showed a strong day for Obama, bringing the candidates back closer together in the latest three-day rolling average.



http://www.gallup.com/poll/104110/Gallup-Daily-Tracking-Election-2008.aspx

[Colobo]

1. Yeah!

[jefferson_dem]

4. Fired Up!

[Quixote1818]

2. The interesting thing about this is that Obama has been tracking up

since January. Seems the more people see the more they like.

Edit: Whoops, I thought this went back to Jan. 07.

[dailykoff]

3. Obama rising!

Yeah! :thumbsup:

[Quixote1818]

5. What happened on January 17th? Obama went down and Clinton went up

and it was clear as day.

[Quixote1818]

6. That 48 to 41 reading looks to be an out-lier. They must have had a bad sample. nt

[VolcanoJen]

7. So there goes Clinton's "debate bounce."

One-day glitch?

[ZinZen]

8. The polls are all over the place

but it is looking like a tight and fluid race.

[VolcanoJen]

9. Fascinating. Obama hasn't lost a point since January 19.

O-Mentum Baby!!

[milkyway]

10. Rasmussen has Clinton +11. WTF?

49%-38%

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/daily_presidential_tracking_polling_history

Clinton was 45-37 yesterday. Hard to understand in light of Gallup, Zogby, and others showing Obama closing. Rasmussen must be an outlier (I hope!). I really don't remember polls being as wildly different as this year. They really are only good for showing broad trends.