Mixed results from poll on offshore drilling

A survey on an issue that's shaping up to be a big one in this election has good and bad news for both candidates.

Published July 30, 2008 7:13PM (EDT)

A poll released by CNN on Wednesday shows that a majority of Americans favor an increase in offshore oil drilling, while only 30 percent disapprove. On its face, that would seem to be good news for John McCain, who favors new offshore drilling and has frequently been hitting Barack Obama for his opposition.

But another number in the poll shows that Americans may not be absorbing the Republicans' line on drilling -- that Democrats are standing in the way of lower fuel prices by standing in opposition -- to the extent McCain needs them to. Only about 50 percent of respondents said they thought offshore drilling would reduce gas prices; 49 percent said they thought it would not.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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