Poll shows McCain hurt by 'Bush effect'

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-31 15:56

WASHINGTON -- 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".

US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ)(L) speaks about his plans for US national security issues in Tampa, Florida October 29, 2008. [Agencies]

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.

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 October 26-29, among a random national sample of 1,327 likely voters.