Poll: No Convention Bounce For Obama In Virginia

Public Policy Polling conducted a poll in Virginia that showed President Barack Obama did not receive a bounce from the Democratic National Convention. According to the poll, Obama led Mitt Romney by five points, 51% to 46%. In PPP’s survey a month ago, Obama  also led Romney by five points, 50% to 45%, which means Obama did not receive a convention bump in Virginia.

But the liberal polling outfit that polls for the Daily Kos managed in its questioning to nonetheless attempt to help Obama even more in future polls. 

A week after the Obama administration ignored warnings of potential terror threats at U.S. embassies in the Middle East before the eleventh anniversary of 9/11, which resulted in the death of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, PPP asked Virginians this question: “Do you approve or disapprove of how Mitt Romney reacted to the situation in Libya this week?”

Forty-one percent approved, 48% disapproved, and 11% were not sure. 

There were no questions about Obama’s confusion about whether Egypt is an ally or his mishandling of the Middle East. What this question does is link Romney with what Virginians know is a bad situation in the Middle East. Even if someone did not know much of the details surrounding Obama’s Middle East fiasco, the person would instinctively disapprove of how “the situation in Libya” was handled.

Not to be outdone, PPP also asked Virginians, “”Do you think Mitt Romney should release his tax returns for the last 12 years, or not?” 

Fifty percent answered he should, 43% said he should not, and seven percent were not sure. 

The organization did not ask any questions regarding sequestration or the economy, which would hurt Obama in Virginia. 

Virginia is important because, as PPP president Dean Debnam said, “it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Obama would win Virginia but lose the election.” And some of PPP’s questions were designed to make this outcome more likely for Obama.  

Thirty-five percent of those surveyed were Democrats; 32% Republicans; 33% Independent/Other. The organization polled 1,021 likely Virginia voters from September 13th to 16th, and the margin of error was +/-3.1%