Obama Takes 10-Point Lead

Barack Obama has opened a double-digit lead over John McCain in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Obama is up 52% to 42% in the poll, up 4 points from 2 weeks ago and his widest lead to date. While voters continue to view McCain as the candidate best prepared to be president, more have grown comfortable with Obama's ability and background. McCain's choice of Sarah Palin also hurt him among respondents.

"Voters have reached a comfort level with Barack Obama," said a Democratic pollster who conducts the poll with a Republican counterpart. "The doubts and question marks have been erased." Obama is up by 12 points among suburban voters, 9 points among seniors, 12 points among independents, and 25 points in the Midwest, home to several battleground states. (More Election 2008 stories.)