The Bush Administration reluctantly made good on its promise today and partially nationalized American banks with $250 billion. Shortly afterward, John McCain said it's time for action and announced a $52 billion plan of his own. Will McCain's focus on the economy help him catch up to Barack Obama? Is Obama courting votes by sounding unrealistically optimistic? We also consider the so-called "Bradley Effect." Polls showed that the Tom Bradley, first black mayor of Los Angeles would win the race for Governor of California in 1982, but he lost the election to white Republican George Deukmejian. Ever since, there's been an assumption that voters lied to the pollsters to hide their racism. Do voters tell pollsters they'll vote for a black candidate and then switch to the white opponent in the polling booth?
The Economy, the Campaign and Polling
Credits
Guests:
- Thomas Edsall - Columbia School of Journalism - @Edsall
- Victor Davis Hanson - Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution
- Frank Newport - Gallup Poll - @gallup
- Ron Walters - Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland
- David Bositis - Senior Research Associate in National Black Electoral Politics, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies