Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Hillary Is Paying in Penn for Her Bosnia Blunder

The latest Rasmussen poll in Pennsylvania shows that Hillary’s Bosnia gaffe is hurting her much more among voters in the Keystone State than are Obama’s problems with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. According to Rasmussen, Hillary’s lead has shrunk from 10 points to only 5, and she now is ahead 47 percent to 42 percent. In early March her Pennsylvania tally was 52 percent. Meanwhile Obama has picked up 5 points, moving from 37 to 42.

RealClearPolitics polling averages for Pennsylvania still show Hillary with a 15 point lead, 52 to 37. But while Rasmussen’s sample is dated March 31, RealClear’s three-poll average -- including PPP, Franklin & Marshall, and Quinnipiac -- were sampled during the period ending March 16, two weeks ago. So the full effect of Hillary’s cognitive dissonance concerning Bosnia airport sniper fire that never existed, along with her implied insult to the military forces guarding the airport, has probably taken a major toll on her standing in a state that has many red counties.

Also, Obama’s endorsement by Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey may be having a strong positive effect. Jerry Bowyer, who has operated in Pennsylvania politics for years, believes the Casey name is golden -- much like the Kennedy name in Massachusetts.

If Hillary squeaks out a 5 point win in Pennsylvania, she is sunk. That kind of close race would doom her chances for continuing. And we can expect a large number of Democratic graybeards to come out of the woodwork to call for her dropping out.