Special Report: U.S. presidential election 2008

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- A new poll released Thursday shows that Republican presidential nominee John McCain is not only being dragged down by the financial crisis, but also was hurt by "Bush effect".

    According to the ABC News/Washington Post survey, more than 70 percent of Americans disapprove of President George W. Bush's job performance, near the 70-year record for disapproval he set earlier this month.

U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain is joined by U.S. Republican vice-presidential nominee Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (L) and her husband Todd (2nd L) at a campaign rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania October 28, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    McCain has struggled all year to distance himself from the "Bush effect".

    Fewer than half of likely voters, 47 percent, think McCain would lead in a new direction while 50 percent instead say he'd mainly continue on Bush's path.

    For all year, McCain has not exceeded 48 percent of voters who said he may lead a "new direction", at a time when dissatisfaction with the country's current course has hit record highs.

    It matters: Among those who think McCain would lead in a new direction, 82 percent support him.

    But among those who think of him as Bush, 90 percent prefer his Democratic opponent Barack Obama instead, reflecting one of the starkest dividing lines between the two candidates.

    Obama continues to lead McCain by 52-44 percent in overall vote preference among likely voters, a stable race in ABC/Post data the last three weeks.

    Obama has reached or matched his highest support among men, whites, white men, married men and moderates in the latest results.

    McCain's at his best since July among evangelical white Protestants.

    The survey was conducted by telephone Oct. 26-29, among a random national sample of 1,327 likely voters.

Poll shows Obama landslide win in California

    LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is poised to win California by the biggest landslide in the history of modern elections, according to a new Field Poll.

    Obama's victory would outweigh even Ronald Reagan's huge wins in his home state, thanks to a crushing margin of support from young voters, independents and Latinos, the poll showed.   Full story

Obama tries to close deal, McCain vows to fight on

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- With six days left before election day, U.S. presidential front runner Barack Obama is making maximum efforts to close the deal as soon as possible, while underdog John McCain remains unyielding and aggressive against all the odds.

    Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois, when campaigning in the pivotal states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida, told his enthusiastic supporters they are "so close" to victory.   Full story

Obama airs 30-minute ad on major U.S. TV networks

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama aired a 30-minute television ad on major U.S. networks at prime-time Wednesday, a move that has little precedent in modern politics.

    The ad was broadcast on 8 p.m. E.T. (2400 GMT) on CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Fox, BET, TV One and Univision.  Full story