---
"title": "Risky Business"
"description": "Registered voters apply the term \"risky\" as often to McCain as they do to Obama."
"date": "2008-10-24"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Russell Heimlich"
    "job_title": "Former web developer"
    "link": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/short-reads/2008/10/24/risky-business/"
---

# Risky Business

While John McCain is clearly seen as a well-qualified candidate for president by registered voters (72% say McCain is well-qualified while 53% say Barack Obama is), the term “risky” is applied as often to him as it is to Obama (49% of voters apply the term to each candidates). About the same number of independents describe McCain and Obama as risky (53% and 51%, respectively.) In September, 55% of independents described Obama as risky while just 44% said this about McCain. [Read More](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/pubs/1000/obama-lead-widens)