Despite Barack Obama’s weakness during the Democratic nomination fight among blue collar white voters, he holds a 47 percent to 37 percent lead over John McCain among low-wage white workers although 16 percent say they have no opinion, support someone else or do not plan to vote, according to a Washington Post, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University conducted June 18 to July 7. (Story, poll).

The survey of low-wage workers - the first installment was yesterday - found that Obama leads McCain 58 percent to 28 percent among the overall group, who comprise 22 percent of American adults. The sample included workers 18 to 64 years old who put in at least 30 hours a week but earned $27,000 or less last year. Thiry-eight percent described themselves as moderate, 28 percent as conservative and 27 percent as liberal.

Poll after poll - most recently from the Pew Research Center and CNN/Opinion Research - have documented how hard hit Americans as a whole are feeling by the downward spiral of the economy, and the whipsaw of rising prices and stagnant wages.

Now an extensive survey by the Washington Post, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University conducted June 18 to July 7 described the "financial insecurity" that has gripped low-wage workers who account for nearly a quarter of all American adults. The survey included those who worked at least 30 hours a week and earned no more than $27,000 a year.