Poll blip over for McCain as Obama bounces back into the lead

A new poll has put the Democratic presidential candidate six per cent ahead of his rival  -  with signs of solid support among women and minority voters. Mr Obama has 47 per cent to Mr McCain's 41 per cent in the poll carried out by the Associated Press.

Backing from female, minority and young voters has helped push Mr Obama back into a comfortable lead.

The latest poll represents a setback for Mr McCain. The influential Rasmussen Tracking Poll this week showed he had a slender one per cent lead over his rival.

Back in the lead: Obama, left, speaking with Georgie Jolivette, 6, during a stop in Ohio yesterday, has regained the lead from John McCain, right, in Michigan yesterday

The AP survey came after the Illinois senator returned from his trip to Middle Eastern and European capitals, and during a week that saw the two political camps clash over which had brought the racial issue into the campaign.

Mr McCain had accused Mr Obama of playing the race card by saying people would not vote for him because he looked different from other presidents.

While the new poll shows Mr McCain has strong support among white males, he will not be cheered by the details of the poll which showed only 18 per cent were satisfied with the direction in which the country was heading.

Mr Obama has made great play of linking Mr McCain to President Bush, with one form of attack portraying that a vote for Mr McCain would be the same as a third term for Mr Bush.

Among women voters Mr Obama has a 13-point lead over his rival. The margin is even larger among black and Hispanic voters. Mr Obama is also equally popular among the under-25s and is doing well among unmarried men, moderates and city dwellers.

The two men were evenly divided among Catholics and suburban residents. The poll showed a huge Democratic advantage  -  53 per cent to 35 per cent  -  when voters ponder which party they would like to see control Congress next year.

It underscores the mountainous disadvantage that Mr McCain and other Republican candidates are facing in the 4 November vote.

The poll was conducted between 31 July and 4 August and involved telephone interviews with 1,002 adults.