CNN Poll: Only Five Points Separate Donald Trump from Hillary Clinton
Americans might be surprised to learn that, despite the many allegations he faces, Donald Trump still has a shot at the White House. Just two weeks remain until the vote on November 8, and the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, leads Trump by only five points, according to the latest CNN poll. (Source: “Clinton leads by 5 heading in to final two weeks,” CNN, October 25, 2016.)
The most surprising thing about this poll is that it suggests a much lower margin between the two leading candidates. Hillary Clinton has 49% support, while Trump has 44%. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is far behind, at three percent, while Green Party candidate Jill Stein has two percent. If Clinton thought she had this election in the bag—after the last debate in Las Vegas—she had better look in her rearview mirror. Trump is there and closing in.
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This means that both candidates are going to go on a massive offensive in the next two weeks. Trump leads in the State of Texas, while Clinton has Florida. (Source: Ibid.) That certainly allows Trump to say it’s not over yet. Trump even secured an endorsement from the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week. (Source: “EDITORIAL: Donald Trump for president,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 22, 2016.)
Don’t Discount Trump’s Chances for the White House Just Yet
So Trump, salacious allegations and all, shows no signs of going away. Responding to the latest accusations of misconduct, Trump said the women who are accusing him “are liars.” Meanwhile, addressing one of the issues that dogged him in the wake of the debate and that prompted concern from many media pundits, Trump made it clear he would accept the result of the vote, if the elections are fair. Earlier, he said that he would accept the result, “If I win.”
Considering the way Trump’s poll numbers are catching up to Clinton, it might be premature for the Senator and former Secretary of State to be considering cabinet appointments. The rumors are that she would hire former Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) executive Sheryl Sandberg as Treasury Secretary. (Source: “Will Sheryl Sandberg Be Treasury Secretary? What Facebook Executive Says About Joining Hillary Clinton’s Cabinet,” International Business Times, October 25, 2016.)
While some say that such an appointment would strengthen Clinton’s race, it might also raise the ire of the more liberal supporters, because of Sandberg’s caliber and experience. These are the ones who voted for Bernie Sanders in the primaries and whose support is necessary for Clinton to win the White House. But Clinton must also walk a tightrope in trying to keep the support of many centrist Republicans, the ones alienated by Trump.
