A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that Barack Obama leads John McCain 52% to 42% among registered voters. This is the first time that Obama has crossed NBC’s 50% threshold. Two weeks ago, Obama was up 49% to 43%. Read more about the poll here with some interesting findings and a quick summary chart below:
- Obama leads with independent voters, 49% to 37%, suburban voters, 53% to 41%, Catholics, 50% to 44%, and white women, 49% to 45%.
- 55% of respondents said Sarah Palin is not qualified to serve as president if the need arises, up five points from the previous poll.
- 56% said they are either “optimistic or confident” or “satisfied and hopeful” that Obama would do a good job as president; 44 percent said the same of McCain.
- Obama has a 39-point advantage over McCain in handling health care, a 21-point edge on improving the economy, a 21-point lead on the mortgage and housing crisis, a 17-point edge on dealing with the economic crisis, a 14-point lead on taxes and a 12-point advantage on energy and the cost of gas.
