Obama Hits 50% For First Time

Convention bounce? Palin anti-bounce? Great news for now, but let's see how the numbers are after the RNC ends.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has reached the 50 percent milestone in the latest Gallup Poll, the first time he has hit the threshold considered to be a safe number for victory. According to Gallup’s Daily Tracking Poll, the Democratic presidential nominee now maintains an 8-point lead over Republican John McCain, 50 percent to 42 percent.

McCain, despite enjoying the media spotlight at this week’s Republican National Convention, is “well below” his 48 percent top support level, recorded in late April/early May, in a hypothetical match-up against Obama, said Gallup pollster Lydia Saad. He is “just slightly better” than the 40 percent he was getting during the Democratic convention last week.