Poll: Obama Outflanking McCain in Key States

Barack gains, Mac seen as 'typical Repub' as economy worries hit

(NEWSER) - The race for the White House is in a dead heat in some vital swing states, according to a new CNN poll. The poll found John McCain and Barack Obama effectively tied in Florida and Ohio while in North Carolina, Indiana, and Wisconsin—where both contenders are pouring resources—neither candidate has a clear advantage. Obama, meanwhile, has wiped out McCain's post-convention lead, according to a new Reuters poll. More»

(NEWSER) - At 5 tonight, a wave of exit-polling results will be distributed to media insiders, who'll try manfully to resist sharing anything that might prejudice voters—even though it will kill them. At 6 pm, the results will start rolling in, and Politico gives you a play-by-play guide to what to look for as each state reports. Some highlights:

• Indiana: Polls close at 6 in the East, 7 in the West. An Obama win in the hotly contested state would give the McCain campaign pause.

Undecideds waiting for candidates to provide tell-tale slip-up

(NEWSER) - Undecided voters want one thing from John McCain and Barack Obama: a reason to vote for one of them—or not. “I’m waiting for one of them to shoot himself in the leg,” one torn Floridian tells the LA Times. "I just don't trust politicians," says an Ohio auto worker. The 11th-hour deciders last made a difference in 1960, but they could prove vital once again. More»

Republican picking up little to no ground

(NEWSER) - John McCain isn’t moving up on Barack Obama in the polls—at least not fast enough to be significant, writes statistics guru Nate Silver at his blog FiveThirtyEight.com. The Republican appears to be about six or seven points back. While he’s picked up maybe a point in the last week, he has to gain six more in five days to close the gap—not an easy task. More»

Campaigns like low cost, lower accountability

(NEWSER) - Although conventional radio may seem obsolete, it is an important tool of the presidential campaigns this year, USA Today reports. Political advertising is flooding the airwaves in battleground states as the campaigns take advantage of the cost: $500 to $600 per airing for a 30-second spot in Northern Virginia, compared to at least $1,700 or more for a 30-second TV spot. More»