Barack Obama's margin over John McCain has narrowed to 50 percent to 46 percent compared to the 9 point lead he enjoyed a week ago in a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted Sept. 27-29. The margin of error is 3 points and the numbers include likely voters and leaners. Obama appears to be getting a boost from greater voter trust in him to handle the economy, in the wake of the worsening financial crisis. For President Bush, it's the opposite: 70 percent of voters said they disapproved of his performance, the highest number so far, and 74 percent disapprove of the way he is handling the economy.
If Ralph Nader and Libertarian Bob Barr are factored into the race, Obama leads 48 percent to 45 percent with 2 percent for Barr, and 3 percent for Nader.
Voters trust Obama more to handle the economy in general by 50 percent to 43 percent and the financial crisis in particular by 50 percent to 40 percent. But that's less than the 14 point advantage he had on the economy last week and the 13 point spread between him and McCain and handling the financial crisis. But when it comes to better understanding "the economic problems people in this country are having," Obama leads 55 percent to 36 percent.
Thirty-eight percent of voters said Obama won the first presidential debate, 24 percent picked McCain, 22 percent called it a draw and 16 percent had no opinion.