The World is Talking. Global Politics

A new Public Policy Polling survey in South Carolina finds Sen. John McCain leading Sen. Barack Obama, 45% to 39%, with Libertarian Bob Barr getting 5%.

Key findings: “The demographics fueling Obama’s ability to stay within striking range
are the same ones that allowed him to win a dominant victory in the
state’s Democratic primary. He leads 77% to 10% with black voters and 54% to 32%
with voters under 30. John McCain leads within pretty much every other
subgroup.”

In South Carolina — and in many other states — Obama’s ability to win will depend on his ability to generate high turnout among the two groups most supportive of his candidacy.

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign “is sending out letters to donors asking
permission to roll a $2,300 contribution to Clinton’s 2008 general
election coffers to her 2012 senate election fund instead of offering a
refund,” the New York Observer reports.

“I’m 62, I’m having trouble remembering things.”

– President Bush, at a news conference earlier today, in comments not helpful to 71 year old John McCain.

A new CBS News poll “shows that while Americans have been pessimistic about the
direction of the country in general and the state of the economy in
particular, they are increasingly positive about the way things are
going in Iraq.”

“Just seven percent say the war in Iraq is going very well but 45 percent now say it is going at least somewhat
well. This marks the most positive assessment of the war since January,
2006, and a 10 point upswing since just last month. But 51 percent say
the war is going at least somewhat badly. In June, just 35 percent said
the war was going somewhat well while 62 percent said it was going
badly.”

The complete results of the poll will be released later tonight.

The Washington Post has good advice for any politician: “Try not to make the front page of two major papers over two separate sets of ethical questions in the same week.”

Unfortunately, House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) isn’t listening.

“On Friday, he was on the front page of the New York Times in a story about his occupying four rent-controlled apartments in Harlem, three for his residence and one for a campaign office. Today, he was on the front page of the Washington Post for having solicited contributions from interests with business before his committee for a foundation named after him.”

“With commanding leads among women and young voters and near unanimous support from black voters,” Sen. Barack Obama has a 50% to 41% lead over Sen. John McCain, according to a new Quinnipiac poll of likely voters released today.

Independent voters split 44% to 44%. McCain has a slight 47% to 44% edge among men voters and a larger 49% to 42% lead among white voters. But black voters back Obama 94% to 1%, while women support him 55% to 36%.

Interesting: Obama gets 44% to McCain’s 47% in red states, which went Republican by more than 5 percent in 2004, and leads 50% to 39% in purple or swing states.

With Sen. Barack Obama scheduled to make a major speech on Iraq today — and some accusing him of flip-flopping in recent days on his commitments to bring troops home if elected president — Politifact finds the Illinois senator has not wavered in his statements throughout the campaign.

Despite recent hints that he would run for U.S. Senate as an independent, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura said he would not make the race, according to The Hill.

Said Ventura: “If between now and five o’clock, maybe God comes and speaks to me like
he did the president, and tells me I should run like he apparently told
to president to invade Iraq … just understand God sent me to file.”

Ventura noted that God had never spoken to him before.

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Colorado shows Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) leading Bob Schaffer (R) by 9 points, 47% to 38%. 

After a year of polling that showed a very close race, this is the fourth poll in a row that has shown Udall with at least a 9 point lead.