First Two Tracking Polls of the Day (Plus a New Pew Poll)

The first two tracking polls of the day are out, and they both show the race steady where it was yesterday.

Rasmussen:

Obama 51
McCain 45

This is the sixth day that Obama has been at either 50% or 51%. It's also the sixth day that McCain has been at either 44% or 45%.

Meanwhile, Research 2000/Daily Kos continues to show Obama 10 points over McTool:

Obama 51
McCain 41

It is interesting to note, I think that the poll with the highest Democratic lean and the poll with the most Republican lean both peg Obama's support at 51.

Pew Polls released this mornig the results of a survey they conducted September 27 to 29, and it confirms what we have been seeing in the tracking polls:

Obama/Biden 49
McCain/Palin 42

Pew observes:

Obama’s leadership image . . . has improved. There is now almost no difference in the minds of voters as to which candidate would use better judgment in a crisis.

Second, the electorate continues to have much more confidence in Obama than McCain to deal with the financial crisis . . . .

Third, opinions about Sarah Palin have become increasingly negative, with a majority of the public (51%) now saying that the Alaska governor is not qualified to become president if necessary.

So there are two positive elements about Obama related to his leadership skills added to the growing negative impressions about Palin that are driving this surge in Obama's numbers.