Race tight on eve of presidential debate

On the eve of their first presidential debate, Barack Obama leads or is at parity with Mitt Romney on virtually every major issue and attribute in what remains a competitive race, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll reveals.

The survey also highlights an emerging dynamic: the disparity between the state of the race nationally and in battleground states, where campaigning and advertising by the two candidates have been most intense and where the election will be decided.

Nationally, the race is unmoved from early September, with 49% of likely voters saying they would vote for Obama if the election were held today and 47% saying they would vote for Romney.