In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a five-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the US presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a poll released today.
Mr McCain leads Mr Obama among likely US voters by 46 per cent to 41 per cent, wiping out Mr Obama's solid seven-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.
The reversal follows a month of attacks by Mr McCain, who has questioned Mr Obama's experience, criticized his opposition to most new offshore oil drilling and mocked his overseas trip.
The poll was taken last week as Mr Obama wrapped up a weeklong vacation in Hawaii that ceded the political spotlight to Mr McCain, who seized on Russia's invasion of Georgia to emphasise his foreign policy views.
"There is no doubt the campaign to discredit Obama is paying off for McCain right now," pollster John Zogby said. "This is a significant ebb for Obama."
Mr McCain now has a nine-point edge, 49 per cent to 40 per cent, over Mr Obama on the critical question of who would be the best manager of the economy - an issue nearly half of voters said was their top concern in the November 4th presidential election.
That margin reversed Mr Obama's four-point edge last month on the economy over Mr McCain, an Arizona senator and former Vietnam prisoner of war who has admitted a lack of economic expertise and shows far greater interest in foreign and military policy.
Mr McCain has been on the offensive against Mr Obama during the last month over energy concerns, with polls showing strong majorities supporting his call for an expansion of offshore oil drilling as petrol prices hover near $4 a gallon.