The BBC: Mr. Obama gets boost from Clinton

Bradley W. Parks
bp124509@ohio.edu
@Bradley_W_Parks

President Barack Obama climbed on the BBC poll tracker's "poll of polls" in the wake of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to put the two candidates, Mr. Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, in a dead heat at 47 percent each.

The two started on May 20 at a score of 46 for Mr. Obama and 45 for Mr. Romney.

Mr. Romney surrendered his only lead in the poll of polls coming after the Republican National Convention (RNC), which amounted to only one percentage point.

Mr. Obama led up until the RNC, which saw Mr. Romney ahead 47-46. Mr. Obama's largest lead was six percentage points, which came after Mr. Romney's failed trip abroad to Britain, Israel and Poland.

On the BBC this past week, it was easy to see that the folks at the corporation were captivated by former President Bill Clinton as much as many others watching the DNC.

Mr. Clinton's speech riled up a lot of folks and is seen by many as the crown jewel of the DNC for Democrats.

The ever intriguing part of the BBC's coverage came from this sentence in a story about Mr. Clinton's appearance:

Bill Clinton defended Mr. Obama's economic policy.

"[Mr. Clinton] launched a full-throated defense of Mr. Obama's policies, saying his economic policies were working."

The intrigue comes from the phrase "launched a full-throated defense." So often viewers are used to hearing about candidates launching attacks and yet here is arguably the most popular speaker at either convention launching a defense of policies.

No empty promises, no empty attacks. A discussion on policy.

The poll tracker cites the DNC as the reason for Mr. Obama's increase in poll support, but from the sounds of the BBC's coverage, it could quite possibly have been due to Mr. Clinton's support.

Whatever the cause of the popularity boost, one Floridian pizza shop owner was certainly excited to reelect Mr. Obama as seen in this video of the owner giving the president a bear hug or two.