Finally, America’s most burning questions in this heated presidential election have been answered. Not only does the newest poll by The Washington Post and ABC News reveal voters’ preferences for which presidential candidate they’d like to see serve as president, it also shows President Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s suitability for other professions.
Of 1,063 registered voters surveyed, 49 percent said they would rather hire Obama to babysit their children, with 36 percent favoring the former Massachusetts governor. One possible reason for the 13-point gap? The president’s weak-willed performance in the first presidential debate on October 3. While Obama’s underwhelming appearance in Denver gave Romney’s campaign new life, it also greatly increased the president’s chances of rising to the top of the Babysitters’ Club, “possibly because he was seen as more soothing or less confrontational in the debate.”
The Post-ABC News poll also queried voters on the candidates’ capability for other odd jobs. When asked which candidate they would rather see serve as a sea captain in a dangerous storm, 48 percent chose Obama, while 44 percent would rather see Romney behind the ship’s wheel. And while leading in a poll that asks voters to choose which candidate they’d rather have navigate through a dangerous swell might be more encouraging to the Obama campaign than the babysitting question, the president led the sea-captain question by 12 percentage points just two weeks ago.
The poll, which was conducted over October 10-13, comes a day before the second debate between Obama and Romney. The candidates will face off tomorrow night in a town-hall-style setting—taking questions from voters—at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
As for more direct questions—i.e., presidential preference—Obama led Romney nationally 49 percent to 46 percent, within the poll’s margin of error. The president’s lead is a bit more pronounced in nine battleground states, including Virginia, but not by much. Obama is ahead Romney 51-46 in Virginia, Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin. The poll calls the five-point gap “not a significant difference.”
But while he still trails in the head-to-head matchup, Romney does have the mojo right now, according to the poll. Fifty-nine percent of Romney supporters are enthusiastic about their candidate right now, compared to 55 percent for the president’s.
It’s not all bad for Obama, though. There was still one question in which the president led by an insurmountable margin. When asked which candidate they thought would be more likely to go bungee jumping, 60 percent of respondents picked the president, compared to only 21 percent for Romney.
