Presidential debate puts Kerry level with Bush in poll
Bush's percentage point lead before Thursday's debate evaporated in a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll taken from Friday and Sunday.
Among likely voters, Bush and Kerry are at 49% each. Independent candidate Ralph Nader is at 1%.
As it enters its final month, the presidential campaign is essentially where it began: too close to call.
"This is an even-up race that's going to be decided by everything that happens in the next 30 days," says Mark Mellman, Kerry's pollster.
Matthew Dowd, chief strategist for the Bush campaign, calls the dead heat no surprise. "We always said this race would be tight," he says.
The debate drew a TV audience of at least 62.5 million, according to the Nielsen ratings a third more than watched the first presidential debate in 2000.
In the poll Kerry:
Reclaimed an advantage on the economy. By 7 points, voter say Kerry would handle the economy better than Bush. Before the debate, Bush was preferred on the issue for the first time, by 6 points.
Bush's 14-point advantage on handling Iraq was cut in half, to 7 points. He continues to hold a big advantage on handling terrorism, of 17 points, though that is down from 27 points in the September 24-26 survey.
Improved his standing as a potential commander in chief, though Bush is still preferred. By 5 points, voters say they trust Bush more to handle the responsibilities of commander in chief. The president's advantage had been 16 points.
Convinced more voters that he has a clear plan for Iraq.
In the poll, 41% say Kerry has a plan, up from 30% before the debate. For Bush, 49% say he has a clear plan, down from 52%.
Was judged the winner of the debate by more than 2-to-1, 57% to 25%. By 13 points, voters say Kerry expresses himself more clearly than Bush. By 10 points, they say he is more intelligent.
With those glowing assessments come something candidates prefer to avoid: heightened expectations. By 48% to 41%, voters predict Kerry will do better than Bush in their second debate, on Friday in St Louis.
Iraq emerged as a powerful issue in the campaign equal to the economy, and second only to terrorism.
