Bob McCarty Writes

A new Sacred Heart University national poll found 64.9 percent of Americans say the purported national media “love affair” with Sen. Barack Obama is very (30.5 percent) or somewhat real (34.4 percent). According to a news release from the Fairfield, Conn., school, another 26.5 percent suggested the love affair was somewhat unreal (8.5%) or not at all real (18.0 percent). Others, 8.6 percent, were unsure.

Majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters surveyed agreed the national media love affair is real — 78.3 percent and 58.5 percent respectively.

More than two-thirds of Americans included in the poll, 67.9 percent, believed Obama is receiving the most favorable media coverage to date in the campaign. Just 11.1 percent indicated Sen. John McCain was receiving the most favorable media coverage. Some, 14.8 percent, indicated they saw the media coverage as equal while 6.3 percent were unsure.

Majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters surveyed suggested Obama is receiving the most favorable national media coverage — 80.3 percent and 63.1 percent respectively.

In a three-way presidential candidate line up, “none of the above” fares well on a November ballot question. Eight-hundred survey respondents were given the choice of Obama, McCain and “none of the above” for president this November. Obama led with 37.8 percent followed by McCain at 27.0 percent and “none of the above” at 22.3 percent. Another 13.0 percent were unsure.

Republican voters were more likely to say “none of the above” (19.2 percent) than Democratic voters (14.2 percent). And, conservatives were significantly more likely to say “none of the above” (23.0 percent) than liberals (17.1 percent).

More than two-fifths, 44.8 percent, told researchers they would be “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to support a strong third-party candidate if one emerged.