Democratic Pollster Sees Clear Obama Victory

Barack Obama continues to hold a solid lead over John McCain nationally, and the presidential race is more stable than Republicans are suggesting, says Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg.

McCain and his advisers have been arguing that the GOP nominee is gaining on Obama and is within striking distance of victory on Election Day, but Greenberg, former adviser to Bill Clinton, disputes this.

He told U.S. News that some of the battleground states such as Florida and North Carolina are close, but Obama generally holds leads that have not been eroding. Greenberg adds that Obama is now the favorite to win previous GOP strongholds including Virginia, Colorado, and New Mexico—a real blow to McCain's chances.

In fact, Greenberg argues that there in no way McCain can win the White House without Pennsylvania, which explains why the Republican nominee has been spending so much time there in recent days.

But Greenberg says Obama enjoys a lead of eight to 10 points in that state. The pollster expects Obama to pile up huge margins in the major cities, especially Philadelphia, and in suburban areas that have gone Republican in the past, partly because voters have more trust in Obama to improve the economy.

Greenberg adds that Obama seems to be holding his own in rural areas as well.

Assessing the national match-up, Greenberg says, "There is an overwhelming desire for change, overwhelming anger with George W. Bush and the Republicans, and an enormous party advantage for the Democrats."

In addition, he says, increasing numbers of voters have a favorable impression of Obama, while McCain is not wearing nearly so well and comes across as angry and overly negative

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