Obama +14 Hillary -11

Drudge doesn't have a link, yet - but ABC has it up. Not only is Obama in a statistical dead heat with Hillary nationally, he's cut deeply into her ratings on the very items she's been selling - leadership, handling key issues and electability, leaving them even in voter preference. Ouch!

Obama likewise is reaping benefits from winning the Iowa caucuses and coming within two points of Clinton in New Hampshire. He now challenges her as the most electable candidate. He's severely eroded her reputation as its strongest leader and sharply improved his trust to handle key issues. And in overall preference Clinton and Obama now are all but tied, 42-37 percent among likely voters, a dramatic tightening.

VOTE PREFERENCE -- The changes in overall preferences in both races are remarkable. Among Democratic likely voters, Obama's gained 14 points and Clinton's lost 11 since the last ABC/Post poll, completed Dec. 9. John Edwards is flat, at 11 percent support.

Update: Worth pointing out from the actual survey - Iraq is no longer the key issue, having been replaced by the economy. The economy has risen from 11% to 29% of voters seeing it as their key issue. Meanwhile, Iraq has dropped from 35% to 20%. Also important, and bad for Hillary, health care declined as a key issue for voters from 13% - 10%. That's Hillary's signature issue, apparently whether it's important to voters, or not.

Comments

[Will Conway]

Hillary is going down. Obama is up. It's as simple as that.

[BrianNY]

She even pulled a "Senator Obama, I knew MLK and you're no MLK" today. This is gonna get really ugly before its over.

[Mister Snitch!]

This is gonna get really, really, old-school ugly. (Not that there's anything WRONG with that.)

[Jonesy]

I just wanna say that... Ill bet this is gonna get really ugly.

[ChrisSTL]

Couldn't happen to a nicer couple of Clintons . . .

[What's Going On Here?]

Kill The Beast.

[Dan Riehl]

This isn't just going to get ugly, it's gonna get ugly in a pantsuit! And that's pretty damned ugly. heh.

[Black Female]

Your racist if you vote for Hillary and sexist if you vote for Obama.

They should start doing polls that list "Black Female" as a candidate.

[jp]

All this means is that Hillary will have to alter the votes across America just like she did in New Hampshire. She has NO intention of losing. Now that she has seen how easily the country, the media, and the pollsters can be convinced of her "win", the nation will be easy.

[ChrisSTL]

Since Billy C. was the "first black president" I suppose poor li'l Barack O. will have to settle for being the "first woman president." Makes sense, no?

[CanadianAl]

Hillary is using a strategy she was obviously hoping she wouldn't have to use. She and her team have come to the conclusion that the way to beat Obama is by making him merely a "black" candidate, thereby marginalizing him. They risk losing the black vote in the primaries, but they have concluded that they can win the nomination without it, and know that in the general it will once again be the "block" vote that it has been for so many years. It's a shame, really, but it shouldn't come as a surprise.

[Orion]

Hmm...if Hillary divorced Bill and married Al Sharpton, would she overcome the "race" issue...?

[GK]

"Hmm...if Hillary divorced Bill and married Al Sharpton, would she overcome the "race" issue...?"

No, Hillary would have to divorce Bill and marry Oprah. Oprah is unmarried, and Hillary would get Oprah's endorsement.

That is what Hillary must do.

[drhwoo]

hillary cannot even control her husband so how is she going to be the commander chief. Also, when the terrorist come, what is she going to do cry under the oval office while bill is chasing the interns. I this the best america has to offer. God,please help us.

[drhwoo]

god help america if hillary gets in.