SENATOR John Kerry has erased US President George W Bush’s modest lead and the two candidates head into election day tied at 49%-49%, a nationwide USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll shows, as an extraordinarily bitter and expensive campaign prepared to end.

President George W. Bush’s job approval rating, which had slumped in several recent polls, has bounced back to 56% in a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll released today.

President George Bush’s job approval rating has dropped to 52%, close to the lowest level of his presidency, according to a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll.

President Bush is admired by more Americans than any man since the Gallup Poll began asking ‘‘What man do you admire most?’’ in 1948.