New poll has Obama and Coleman widening their leads

[CatholicEdHead]

Yep, Obama is increasing his lead over McCain, but Franken is falling farther behind.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/18108529.html

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman has widened his lead over DFL challenger Al Franken, according to a telephone poll taken Tuesday of 500 likely Minnesota voters.

According to Rasmussen Reports poll results released today, 50 percent of the respondents said they favored Coleman for a second term in the U.S. Senate, while 43 percent said that they backed Franken.
........
In presidential politics, the poll found that Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton appear to be pulling away from presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in Minnesota.

According to the poll, Obama is leading McCain by 52 percent to 38 percent, while Clinton's lead over McCain is 47 percent to 42 percent. Past Rasmussen polls have had McCain running even with Obama and Clinton.

[dflprincess]

1. Given these paragraphs from the article:

The results were within the margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, meaning that the contest may be closer than the numbers suggest. It also means that Coleman may have a bigger lead over Franken than the poll shows.

And the poll didn't test Coleman's strength versus the other DFL challenger, University of St. Thomas professor Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, who is vying with Franken for the party's endorsement at the DFL state convention in June.

But the numbers are going in the right direction for Coleman, who last month had a two-point lead over Franken in the same poll. The February Rasmussen Reports poll had Franken ahead of Coleman, 49 percent to 46 percent.

The margin of error for this week's poll means that either reported number could vary by 4.5 points in either direction. This indicates that in theory Coleman may enjoy a lead as wide as 16 percentage points over Franken, 54.5 percent to 38.5 percent.

It also leaves the possibility that Franken actually has a narrow lead over Coleman, 47.5 percent to 45.5 percent.

This poll sounds nearly meaningless.

[loveable liberal]

2. They havent dropped the gloves yet...

I get the feeling Al is going to tie ol' Normy like stink on sh&%. There is a long way to go, many commercials to air and plenty of debates coming up. Al will show his meddle, he's tough and smart and he's got Wellstone on his side. Norms voting record will be his downfall...

Keep the faith brothers and sisters...

[wellstone dem]

3. Yet another reason we need JACK Nelson Pallmeyer. nt

[lojasmo]

4. Jack is getting crushed by norm in the polls. Weak argument.

I can't wait to hear Al debate Norm, though. Heh.

[Demrock6]

5. Jack does not bring the troubles that Al does...

Al's tax mess, while not his fault, just adds to the image that he is a shady charter. Al has done a great grassroots campaign for the last 2 years, and has raised a lot of money nation wide. Had he not been “Al Franken” he would be out of this race Matt Entenza style.

Jack is more progressive, has no skeletons, and has a better ability to persuade people to the DFL ticket in my opinion.

That said: I’m not a delegate so it does not really matter what I think.

[loveable liberal]

6. Al doenst have a tax 'mess'

The corporate media would like people to think Al has a tax mess but thats not the case. All he did was pay taxes in one state rather than many. It seems to me, careful consideration would show that all he has to do is pay his taxes in many states and recoup his money that he paid in a single state.

Mountain meet molehill.

[wellstone dem]

7. I'm a delegate and I agree.

[Mister Ed]

8. I'm a Nelson-Pallmeyer supporter and I agree too.

Tax mess? No, just GOP smear and spin.

[dflprincess]

9. And the weird thing is,

the Pioneer Press has defended Franken. I wonder just what Normie did to piss them off.