Poll: People prefer Obama over McCain as teacher

[sasquatch]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — If this election were about which candidate people wanted as their child's schoolteacher, Barack Obama would be moving to the head of the class. They'd also rather watch a football game with him, but only by inches.

People picked the Democrat over Republican John McCain to catch a game with by 50 percent to 47 percent, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll released Friday. Asked which they'd choose to be their child's teacher, Obama was the choice by a more decisive 55 percent to 44 percent, including a markedly stronger performance by the Illinois senator among whites.

Win or lose the November presidential election, neither man is likely to be teaching schoolchildren anytime soon, let alone plopping down on your couch for a game. Nonetheless, the responses provide some insight into how the two candidates are viewed as people — an important consideration for many when it comes to voting.

Those questioned generally said that for viewing a football game, they were looking for someone they would feel comfortable spending time with. For a teacher, they often described a more complex process measuring a candidate's life experience, communications skills and tolerance of different viewpoints.

"I think Obama has a little more of an open mind, maybe because he's a black man and has that history behind him, the prejudices of life," said Chris Porter, 45, an Obama supporter from Kenosha, Wis. "I think that's something very important for children to understand."

Obama has been a teacher, having worked as a law professor at the University of Chicago.

Larry Killen, 54, a McCain backer from Sugar Hill, Ga., cited how the Republican bounced back from his captivity during the Vietnam War.

"I see him as a more grounded person with a much deeper range of experience," said Killen, a software designer. "It's fascinating what he's endured," he said, adding that influencing others comes "more from the person you are than the things you do."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-teacher

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Outstanding.
:thumbsup:

[slackmaster]

1. McCain reminds me of the driver training teacher at my high school

Really high-strung, kind of scary, always looked like he was about to blow a fuse.

[sasquatch]

3. He reminds me of a principal I had in junior high school

[Hope And Change]

2. K & R!

[sasquatch]

4. Thank you

[dassix]

5. mcsame can teach "presidential credentials 101"

Where he lectures that intelligence, knowledge of economy, core values are not needed. You just need to be a pow. "I got scars from serving my country; Obama doesn't." That makes him the only person qualified to be president! How about Mcsame sells some of his houses to buy a fighter jet, since he destroyed so many.

[melody]

6. Remember your reaction on the first day of school when the new teacher walked in

Okay, shut your eyes and imagine it's McCain. Yeah, exactly. Obama is winning soundly in that comparison.

[OakCliffDem]

7. Obama strikes me as an articulate academic who could easily teach class on many subjects

McCain on the other hand appears as a hideous ghoul to me.

[mitchum]

8. Larry Killen: "more from the person you are than the things you do."

Why, WHATEVER could you mean by that, Larry?

[izquierdista]

13. He are the admiral's son

So he deserves a pass. :dunce:


P.S. Did you know he was a P.O.W.??

[mitchum]

9. McCain reminds me of a singing little canary that some Asian people once had

I wonder why?

[calmblueocean]

10. I still hate these kind of polls

They trivialize what's at stake. Who cares who you'd rather drink a beer with, watch a football game with, or have as your kid's teacher? The candidates aren't going to be doing any of those things. America needs to focus on what's meaningful.

[Ishoutandscream2]

14. Absolutely.

So many things are at a crisis point, and then there's stories like this. So much at stake!

[Historic NY]

11. meaningless poll dribble.

[JonQ]

12. I hate these

yesterday I saw one on which candidate people would most like to watch football with.

Is it such a slow news day that they have to invent these polls, or do people really care? Because to me the whole thing seems irrelevant. The only question being asked should be: who do you think will be the best president for this country? I'd rather have some one who is very difficult to get along with, unpersonable and outright rude, but who knows how to lead, than an affable moron.

[ohio2007]

15. online straw poll. about 200,000 votes cast

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/09/18/aol-straw-poll-sept-18-25/


dunno if zogby or gallup like the idea of internet polls like that but it looks like Barack would get a good shot at a teaching career