# McCain not as forked as the McCain Forked thread, but still forked **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2008, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951 "2008-10-08T03:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 52
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1021 "2008-11-01T19:38:18Z")
Palin, McCain and Joe the Plumber: Winken, Blinken and Nod. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1022 "2008-11-01T19:41:25Z")
Touche, jayjay. 🙂 Actually, the email doesn’t mention a donation request. It goes on asking supporters to make calls, period. But really what I meant was whether or not it seemed accurate that O’s natinal lead has dropped 3 points this week. My father told me he heard the same thing (on Fox, natch), but I’m not seeing that reflected necessarily. At least not a full 3 points. So my question, and it’s my fault for not correctly phrasing originally, should be, "Is this an absolute? Have the polls indeed gone down 3 full points this week, and if the same trend continues, is it possible, given margin of error (not to mention bradley and other possibly relevant factors) to have a McCain upset at this point? ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1023 "2008-11-01T19:47:54Z")
Drudge is now saying McCain is in the lead.😕 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1024 "2008-11-01T19:48:23Z")
> [@sidle](#): > > Touche, jayjay. > 🙂 > > Actually, the email doesn’t mention a donation request. It goes on asking supporters to make calls, period. > > But really what I meant was whether or not it seemed accurate that O’s natinal lead has dropped 3 points this week. > My father told me he heard the same thing (on Fox, natch), but I’m not seeing that reflected necessarily. At least not a full 3 points. > > So my question, and it’s my fault for not correctly phrasing originally, should be, > "Is this an absolute? Have the polls indeed gone down 3 full points this week, and if the same trend continues, is it possible, given margin of error (not to mention bradley and other possibly relevant factors) to have a McCain upset at this point? Well, so far, as far as I’ve seen, it’s not that Obama’s support is slipping, it’s that the Republicans who’ve been standing off at a distance from McCain are coming home. Whether that translates to actual votes…who knows? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1025 "2008-11-01T19:49:27Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Drudge is now saying McCain is in the lead.😕 I wouldn’t believe a Drudge interpretation of the polls if he sprouted wings and a halo. Drudge is completely in the tank for the Republicans, and hasn’t been above lying on his “news” page before. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1026 "2008-11-01T19:50:50Z")
> [@sidle](#): > > So my question, and it’s my fault for not correctly phrasing originally, should be, > "Is this an absolute? Have the polls indeed gone down 3 full points this week, and if the same trend continues, is it possible, given margin of error (not to mention bradley and other possibly relevant factors) to have a McCain upset at this point? Noise. See the chart at [2008 General Election: McCain vs. Obama | RealClearPolling](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html). They aren’t smooth lines. They go up and down a few points from day to day. But Obama has been clearly ahead for several weeks now and that’s not changing. (Actually, he’s been ahead since the beginning, except for only a few brief blips.) ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1027 "2008-11-01T19:53:16Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Drudge is now saying McCain is in the lead.😕 I dunno about you, but I’m looking forward to reading his website on Wednesday. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1028 "2008-11-01T19:53:21Z")
> [@sidle](#): > > But what about the email I got this morning? > > \*Dear MoveOn member, > > Here’s some ominous news: In the last week, Obama’s lead in the national tracking polls has dropped by almost three points. If it keeps dropping, we could be looking at four years of President McCain and Vice President Palin.\* > > Is the consensus here that there’s no way this’ll happen? Meh. The Democrats are (correctly) trying to stave off complacency and (less correctly) sometimes resorting to alarmism to do so. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1029 "2008-11-01T19:55:25Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > I dunno about you, but I’m looking forward to reading his website on Wednesday. “McCain Magnanimously Concedes: Let’s Not Tear Nation Apart, Says Candidate” ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1030 "2008-11-01T20:03:12Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > “McCain Magnanimously Concedes: Let’s Not Tear Nation Apart, Says Candidate” My you are an optimist. I expect something along the lines of: > [@](#): > > We all know the vast left wing operation to commit voter fraud I am instructing my lawyers to prepare briefs for the Supreme Court ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1031 "2008-11-01T20:13:11Z")
I don’t think it’ll take until Wednesday to hear McCain’s concession speech. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1032 "2008-11-01T20:21:37Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Drudge is now saying McCain is in the lead.😕 It seems that that lead is being pulled out of Drudge’s ass. [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1033 "2008-11-01T20:41:58Z")
Plus, McCain has been palling around with Austrians. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1034 "2008-11-01T20:50:21Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > It seems that that lead is being pulled out of Drudge’s ass. > > [RealClearPolitics - Election 2008 - Latest Polls](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html) The poll Drudge is talking about is a 3-day tracking poll, and he’s reporting on just the one-day result. The poll itself considers the 3-day average. So the one-day result is even ‘noisier’ than the 3-day tracking poll. I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in it. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1035 "2008-11-01T20:51:19Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > Plus, McCain has been palling around with Austrians. [Sarah Palin] Why didn’t I get a kangaroo?[/Palin] ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1036 "2008-11-01T20:54:52Z")
If it was real leak to him, then it is buried in the drop from 7 to 5 in the Zogby numbers and will stay there for tomorrow and the next day and would drop off on Tuesday except … well there will be another poll’s results taking up the news cycle! Seriously, you’ll know that it was a one day fluke if Zogby’s numbers stay 4 or 5 for the next two days. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1037 "2008-11-01T21:21:21Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > I don’t think it’ll take until Wednesday to hear McCain’s concession speech. I don’t think it’ll take until Wednesday for it to be clear that McCain has lost. His concession speech may take a bit longer… ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1038 "2008-11-01T21:23:24Z")
i can certainly confirm the fact that hundreds of lawyers are amassed in just philadelphia alone. i put together 270 some odd tags for them on friday. this was just for center city philadelphia, election watchers only. the poll watcher tags were in the thousands. we are still scheduling for both posts this weekend. i figure the numbers are the same for pittsburg. not to mention the cities and towns between the two major cities. on friday we gave out thousands of obama posters and stickers. having over 2 million people hanging out on a parade route really helped up out there. we were out of the obama/phillies buttons in 10 minutes! wild times in philly! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1039 "2008-11-01T21:29:02Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > I don’t think it’ll take until Wednesday to hear McCain’s concession speech. Well, it won’t be till the polls have closed on the West Coast; it might be Wednesday here. 😛 I doubt he’ll wait for Alaska and Hawaii or it will be. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951/1040 "2008-11-01T23:03:56Z")
[Picture taken at Ohio rally.](http://www.brettmarty.com/index.html?OhioRallies)Apparently republicans at McCain rallies think McCain is forked. I can’t link directly to the pic but it is on page 3 picture 66 of 69. A picture of Palin signing a “Country First” McCain sign with the “Country” part covered up with a “PALIN 2012” sticker. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951.md?page=51) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-not-as-forked-as-the-mccain-forked-thread-but-still-forked/466951.md?page=53)