Has the Reverend Jeremiah Wright episode changed your opinion about Barack Obama?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Despite Barack Obama's well-received speech on race this week, there are signs that the comments by his longtime pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright – that were played over and over again on cable news – may have hurt him.
A CBS News poll shows that among those voters who had heard about Wright's statements, 30% say they have a "less favorable" view of Obama. 2% say "more favorable”, while 65% say their opinion of Obama is unchanged.
When it comes to Republican voters, 47% say they have a more negative view. And as for independents, a key voting block, 36% feel that way.
The survey also shows Obama's unfavorable ratings are up – at 30% now compared to 23% last month.
However, it's important to note that this poll was taken before Obama gave his speech on Tuesday.
And here's another sign that the pastor's comments may have harmed Obama's candidacy: a new Gallup tracking poll out today shows Clinton ahead 48% to 43% in the nomination race. This is the second consecutive day that this tracking poll shows Clinton with a "statistically significant lead" in more than a month.
Here’s my question to you: Has the Reverend Jeremiah Wright episode changed your mind about Barack Obama?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Is Hagel right that it may be time for a new political party?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/03/20/art.chuck.hagel.gi.jpg caption=" Sen. Chuck Hagel at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The U.S. needs independent leadership and maybe even a new political party.
Senator Chuck Hagel, the Nebraska Republican and one of the very few class acts in Washington, has a new book out, "America: Our Next Chapter." Hagel writes, "In the current impasse, an independent candidate for the presidency, or a bipartisan unity ticket... could be appealing to Americans."
Hagel, who is a Vietnam veteran, also suggests that the war in Iraq might be remembered as one of the five biggest blunders in all of history. He says that the invasion 5 years ago was "the triumph of the so-called neoconservative ideology, as well as Bush administration arrogance and incompetence."
Hagel says he held one of the Senate's strongest records of support for President Bush, but his standing as a Republican was still doubted because of his opposition to the administration's foreign policy – one he sees as "reckless" and "divorced from a strategic context."
Hagel announced last year that he wouldn't run for a third Senate term or seek the Republican nomination for president. His name was often mentioned as a potential running mate for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on an independent presidential ticket. But last month, Bloomberg said he wouldn't run.
Here’s my question to you: Republican Senator Chuck Hagel says the U.S. may need a new political party. Is he right?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How likely is it Obama will be the Dems’ nominee?
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton at the CNN/LA Times/Politico Democratic presidential candidates debate at the Kodak Theatre in January. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"If there is a road to victory for Hillary Clinton, it is a fairly narrow one."
That's according to a piece in today's New York Times.
It suggests Clinton needs three breaks in order to grab the nomination from Barack Obama. First, she needs a significant victory over Obama in Pennsylvania on April 22nd in order to support her argument that she can deliver big general election states. Then she needs a lead in the popular vote by the end of June. And lastly, Clinton has to convince superdelegates she's the best candidate.
But here's the problem: winning the popular vote seems a nearly impossible task for Clinton if these revotes don't happen in Michigan and Florida. And at this point, it looks very doubtful they will happen in either state.
Also, Clinton's campaign had hoped the uproar over comments made by Obama's pastor would make voters and superdelegates question his candidacy. It might be too early to tell, but it seems like Obama's speech on race was well-received and praised, even by some Clinton supporters.
Meanwhile, President Clinton's former political adviser, Dick Morris, is even less optimistic about Clinton's chances. He writes, "Senator Barack Obama has already won the Democratic nomination. It's over." Morris suggests Clinton can't catch Obama in the pledged delegate count, regardless of what happens during the rest of the primary season. He goes on to say the superdelegates won't override the will of the voters quote "unless Obama is in jail."
Here’s my question to you: How likely is it that Barack Obama will be the Democratic presidential nominee?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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