US:BARACK OBAMA has a six-point lead over Republican John McCain in the US presidential race as a growing percentage of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, according to an NBC News/ Wall Street Journalpoll released on Wednesday.
Mr Obama leads Mr McCain by 47 per cent to 41 per cent, unchanged from last month. But 55 per cent believed Mr Obama would be the riskier choice for president, while 35 per cent said Mr McCain would be.
However, Mr Obama's message of change may resonate with a disgruntled electorate after eight years of a Republican-run White House. Only 13 per cent believed the country was headed in the right direction. That was the lowest percentage on this question in the NBC/ Journalpoll's history.
The sagging economy remains the public's top concern, but voters do not have much confidence in either candidate on that issue, with 28 per cent saying they had faith that Mr Obama could put it back on track, while 17 per cent said Mr McCain could.
- (Reuters)