Swing States Poll: Romney's a Better Leader

Mitt Romney's debate performance is helping him in the race's key battlegrounds—but only by inches. A new New York Times/Quinnipiac/CBS poll found essentially no movement in Colorado, Virginia, or Wisconsin, with Obama's debate loss apparently being offset by strong unemployment numbers. But there is good news for Romney: About two-thirds now say he has strong leadership qualities, more than say the same for the president, and his base is more energized. Obama, however, still has higher favorability ratings, and voters see him as more trustworthy.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist poll, meanwhile, found small gains for Romney, leaving him essentially even with Obama in Florida and Virginia, but still behind in Ohio. But it also suggested that the debate wasn't a huge game-changer; only 6% to 7% of voters said they'd decided who to support afterward. "Most people already picked sides," Marist's poll director says. Obama also appears to be benefiting heartily from early voting in Ohio; of the 18% who had already voted there, 63% were Democrats. (More Mitt Romney stories.)