North Carolina: Obama +2

For the first time this year, Barack Obama is leading John McCain in North Carolina. Polls previous to today's survey suggested the race as being dead even. 

Now, Rasmussen shows Obama taking a 49-47 lead in a state where George Bush won by more than 15% in 2004.  No Democrat has won North Carolina since Carter in 1976 , although Clinton lost the state by less than one point in 1992. 

View poll from Rasmussen.

There is a clear enthusiasm gap between those supporting Obama and those supporting McCain.

From the analysis:

"Eighty-one percent (81%) of Obama supporters are voting for their candidate with enthusiasm while 14% are voting primarily against McCain. Those figures have changed little over the past week.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of McCain voters are casting their votes with enthusiasm, up from 62% a week ago. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are voting primarily against Obama, down from 34%."

Rasmussen's analysis did not indicate whether or not the crisis on Wall Street had anything to do with Obama's surge; however, the poll was conducted on September 23rd, before McCain's announcement to suspend his campaign.