The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Washington

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama leads Republican rival John McCain by 49 percent to 43 percent nationwide among registered voters, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released today. The results were little changed from a similar survey in mid-July, the Post said. The latest survey was conducted Aug. 19-22, before Obama announced he had chosen Senator Joe Biden of Delaware to be his vice presidential running mate. Three- quarters of registered voters, in answer to a hypothetical question, said choosing Biden wouldn't influence their vote either way, the Post reported. The poll also showed that 20 percent of those who supported Senator Hillary Clinton of New York for the Democratic presidential nomination now support Arizona Senator McCain, while 70 percent of her supporters back Obama, the highest level since she suspended her campaign in June, the Post said. The latest nationwide poll of 1,108 adults included interviews with 916 registered voters.

The poll, and the results among registered voters, have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadine Elsibai in Washington at nelsibai@bloomberg.net