The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Washington

Republican John McCain grabbed the lead over Democrat Barack Obama in a new opinion poll Wednesday, as his campaign built steam with the White House race entering a pivotal phase. The Arizona senator meanwhile denied questioning his rival's patriotism and said Obama was getting "testy" under his barrage of attacks, while a new flurry of vice presidential speculation surrounded both hard-charging campaigns.

McCain led Obama by 47 percent to 46 percent in the new George Washington University Battleground poll, after trailing by two points in the previous edition of the survey in May.

He made headway on the key issue of energy, as 40 percent of those polled said McCain was the best bet to peg back high oil and gasoline prices, compared to 37 per cent who preferred Obama. In May, Illinois Senator Obama had led on that question by 19 percent, but McCain's demands for an expansion of off-shore oil drilling appeared to be bearing fruit, despite Democratic claims it would do little to cut prices at the pump.

The new poll was the latest sign that McCain, who faced claims a month ago that he was running a stuttering, off-message campaign, is building momentum ahead of the party nominating conventions in the next two weeks.

Other surveys in recent days have shown Obama with a slim lead, but with McCain closing the gap, with the race essentially a statistical tie two and a half months before election day.

Both campaigns meanwhile kept a tight clamp on the identity of their vice presidential nominees, with Obama expected to name his number two within days.

"No hints. No new hints," Obama said when asked about the heated vice presidential rumor mill at a farmers market in Greensboro, North Carolina on Wednesday.