Just a quick diary but Diageo/Hotline has started a 3-day rolling average daily tracker and has released its first numbers covering the period Sept. 2 to Sept. 4. The results
are block quoted below, but here is a link in case any one wants to look themselves:
http://www.diageohotlinepoll.com/...
Some of the key findings: Obama and McCain are tied among men (O 44% M 44%), but Obama is leading among women by 12 pts (O 48% M 36%). Obama beats McCain on all the policy questions, including energy policy (even if by only 2 pts on that one), except for national security where McCain has a fifteen point advantage (0 35% M 50%).
Palin (43% fav 25% unfav) and Biden (42% fav 29% unfav) have similar favorables, but Palin's favorables are more drawn from positive reaction from Republican voters, while Biden's gets better marks across the board just at a lower level:
Sarah Palin and Joe Biden enjoy similar favorability ratings. However, among voters within their parties, Palin performs better than Biden. Among Republican voters, Palin scores extremely high, with 76% viewing her favorably (46% strongly favorable), compared with 62% of Democratic voters viewing Biden favorably (38% strongly favorable)
This would suggest that Palin's favorables among Independents is much lower than Biden's (perhaps with Indies evenly split). That is not a good sign for McCain.
Also the poll asked repondents about Palin's readiness for the job with voters evenly split but again most of her positive numbers come from Republicans which again suggests that she is not viewed well by Independents:
When asked whether Palin is 'prepared' or 'unprepared' to step in and serve as President, voters are split, with 45% saying she is 'prepared' and 46% saying she is 'unprepared.' That said, highlighting Palin's popularity with the Republican base, 74% of Republicans say she is 'prepared.' Interestingly, women voters are less inclined than men to say that Palin is prepared to serve as President . . . . 49% of men say she is 'prepared,' while 41% of women say she is 'unprepared.'