That's Intense

As downright otherworldly as they might have seemed even six months ago, polls favoring Democrats and placing Iraq at the top of voter concerns have become familiar, with the only big news being that they are holding two weeks before the election. But the new ABC/Washington Post poll has some surprising nuggets.

This poll shows, as other do, a greater lead for Democrats than for any other election in more than 20 years, and more than a 50% preference for Democrats among Independents. But one of the biggest questions about eventual outcome is voter intensity. This poll found: "Fifty-eight percent of registered voters call the 2006 races more important to the country than past congressional elections in their lifetime. Democrats, in particular, say so — 69 percent of them versus 49 percent of Republicans. " And "Nearly twice as many registered voters say they'll cast their ballot as a way to show opposition to the president (31 percent) as to support him (17 percent)..."

As for issues, after Iraq at the top, this poll found that terrorism led health care by a few points; the latest Newsweek/ NBC poll showed health care actually leading terrorism by a few points. So they're close. The NBC poll also shows more than majority support for investigating congressional wrongdoing and corruption among contractors in Iraq as high priorities. And perhaps the most shocking of all, 51% actually favor Bush's impeachment, with 28% calling it a high priority. That's intense.