A majority of US voters think the presumptive presidential nominees -- Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain -- are 'flip-floppers', a phenomenon that apparently led to the defeat of incumbent George W Bush's rival John Kerry in the 2004 polls, a new opinion poll says.
Most of the voters polled believed both men are flip-floppers who will change their opinions for political reasons. Voters are also skeptical that either man will be able to end the partisan gridlock in Washington on key issues.
Asked if Obama and McCain are willing to stick to their principles regardless of the political consequences, the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey says that the people do not think so.
A hefty 61 per cent of voters polled said McCain, the 71-year-old Vietnam war veteran, has changed his mind for political reasons; 37 per cent said he has not.
At the same time, 51 per cent of those polled said Obama, 47, who hopes to be the first black-American president, also shifts positions with the political winds; 38 per cent said he does not.
That is a change from 2004, said Keating Holland, CNN polling director.
"One of the reasons President Bush won re-election in 2004 was that only one-third of voters believed he would change his policy positions because of changing political dynamics. Most voters, on the other hand, believed that John Kerry was a flip-flopper," he said.
As the race for the White House heats up in the run-up to the November 4 presidential poll, charges of flip-flopping and political opportunism are becoming more regular on the
campaign trail.
According to Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst, the flip-flopping charge may not resonate as much with voters this year as it did in the past. "After eight years of George W Bush, voters may welcome some pragmatism and flexibility in their leaders. Times change."
The latest CNN poll results also indicate that, regardless of who wins in November, most Americans do not believe the bitter partisanship that has characterised national politics in recent years will come to an end.
The survey showed that 63 per cent of registered voters polled have a favourable opinion of Obama, while 59 per cent have a favourable opinion of McCain. Roughly one-third of
voters hold a negative view of both candidates.
Compared to President Bush, whose approval ratings continue to hover around 30 per cent, both candidates are seen in a remarkably positive light.
The poll also shows both candidates improving on their perceived weak points. The number of voters polled who think Obama, the first-time Senator from Illinois has enough experience to be President, has increased by eight points since March (40 per cent to 48 per cent), while the number of voters who say McCain cares about people like themselves has increased by seven points (51 per cent to 58 per cent).
McCain, however, still holds a sizable advantage over Obama on the issue of experience, with 76 per cent of those polled saying the Arizona Senator has the right experience to
be President.
Obama, on the other hand, continues to hold a significant edge on the question of caring, with 67 per cent of poll respondents saying the Illinois Senator "cares about people like you."
Only 43 per cent of those polled said Obama can end the partisan gridlock if he is elected; 52 per cent said he cannot. Thirty-one per cent said McCain can end the gridlock;
64 per cent said he cannot.
