Bush leads poll with two weeks to go

President George Bush was leading the race for the White House today, with just over two weeks to go until the United States goes to the polls.

Mr Bush led Democratic challenger John Kerry by small margins in two opinion polls and even secured an implied endorsement by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Putin warned that a defeat for Mr Bush could see the spread of global terrorism.

According to a Gallup poll for CNN and USA Today, Mr Bush had a 49 to 46 point lead over Senator Kerry among likely voters.

However, with a margin or error of four points, the poll could be interpreted as even.

Meanwhile, a Newsweek magazine poll of likely voters gave Mr Bush 50% support compared with Mr Kerry's 44%.

Still, the race is expected to come down to undecided voters who could swing the election one way or the other.

Mr Bush was speaking today about his plans to fight the war on terrorism.

The theme has been central to his campaign, but his decision to speak in New Jersey, traditionally a Democratic stronghold, has surprised the left.

So close to the election, candidates are loathe to spend time in states unless they believe they have a fighting chance of winning there.

Nearly 700 New Jersey residents died in the September 11 attacks on the twin towers in neighbouring New York, giving Mr Bush's comments on terrorism added weight there.

Ahead of the address, Mr Bush won the support of the Russian President.

Mr Putin, speaking at a Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in Tajikistan, said insurgent attacks in Iraq were "targeted not only and not so much against the international coalition as against President Bush".

He said: "International terrorists have set as their goal inflicting the maximum damage to Bush, to prevent his election to a second term.

"If they succeed in doing that, they will celebrate a victory over America and over the entire anti-terror coalition.

"In that case, this would give an additional impulse to international terrorists and to their activities, and could lead to the spread of terrorism to other parts of the world."

Despite the comments, he stopped short of giving an endorsement to either candidate, saying: "We respect any choice the American people will make." Russia still opposes the war in Iraq.

Senator Kerry was spending the day campaigning in Florida.

Some voters in the key battleground state started casting their ballots in the Sunshine State today under an early voting system.

Mr Kerry accused Mr Bush of "arrogant boasting" about Iraq amid reports that the top US commander complained to the Pentagon last winter that troops did not have the supplies they needed.

"Despite the president's arrogant boasting that he's done everything right in Iraq and that he's made no mistakes, the truth is beginning to catch up with him," Mr Kerry said.

"The president's tough talk about always supporting the troops is nothing more than empty rhetoric."

Other states where early voting started today were Texas, Colorado and Arkansas.

In Wisconsin, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Michigan the polls opened even earlier.