Election 2008
(2008-06-04)
Exit polls suggest Barack Obama or John McCain will have a lot of doubts to overcome to win the White House
When it comes to the economy, neither McCain nor Obama got the primary votes of those most worried about that issue. McCain admits the economy is not his strong point, while Obama has run weakest with Democrats who say they've been hurt by the troubled economy.
McCain never caught on with the GOP's most conservative voters, including those who strongly oppose abortion, are born again or evangelical Christians, or favor tough steps against illegal immigrants.
Obama has done poorly with working-class whites and Hispanics. He also must win over white Democratic women who have remained fiercely loyal to Hillary Clinton, especially those who are middle-aged and over.
One in seven white voters of Obama's own party said in exit polls that race was important in choosing their candidate. Of that group, two-thirds voted for Clinton, while nearly six in 10 said they would rather vote for McCain in November or stay home than support Obama.
© Copyright 2012, Associated Press
