Penn touts ‘strong swing’ for Clinton

Mark Penn, chief strategist for the Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) campaign, told reporters Wednesday that polls show a “strong swing in momentum” toward the New York senator.

“There are some pretty big changes happening out there with the voters,” Penn said during a conference call.

{mosads}Penn pointed to the primary battles in Ohio and Texas as a turning point in voters’ minds and claimed that, once questions were raised over Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) credentials on the economy and national security, polls started to swing Clinton’s way.

Penn pointed to a new Reuters/Zogby poll released Wednesday that called Obama’s 47-44 edge “statistically insignificant” after showing Obama up 14 in February.  

The poll also showed that Obama’s seven-point February lead over McCain in a potential primary has reversed to an eight-point deficit. Clinton, meanwhile, has narrowed McCain’s lead from 12 points to eight.

Penn said Clinton’s “ability to beat McCain” has drawn voters to the campaign even though the poll shows the candidates tied in trailing McCain.

A Gallup daily tracking poll also shows a swing for Clinton. Clinton is up seven points in Wednesday’s Gallup poll. Obama led the tracking poll by eight points on March 1.