An Edge for Obama

SWING STATES

An Edge for Obama

Barack Obama holds narrow leads over John McCain in Colorado and Michigan, two of the most competitive states in two of the most competitive regions of the country, heading into the general-election campaign, according to surveys conducted by Quinnipiac University for washingtonpost.com and the Wall Street Journal.

In two other states that were closely contested in the 2004 presidential election -- Wisconsin and Minnesota -- the Democrat holds double-digit edges among likely voters, an indication that these states may not be in the swing category this election. The Democratic nominee carried both Wisconsin and Minnesota in each of the past four elections, though John Kerry's victory margins were slim in 2004.

Among likely voters, Obama led McCain by 49 percent to 44 percent in Colorado, 48 to 42 in Michigan, 54 to 37 in Minnesota, and 52 to 39 in Wisconsin.

The polls were conducted June 17-24. The sample sizes and margins of error: Colorado: 1,351 voters, plus or minus 2.7 percent; Michigan: 1,411 voters, plus or minus 2.6 percent; Minnesota: 1,572 voters, plus or minus 2.5 percent; Wisconsin: 1,537 voters, plus or minus 2.5 percent.

The four surveys echo several recent national polls, although others, including the Gallup daily tracking poll, show the race to be much closer.

-- Chris Cillizza

PRO-OBAMA, ANTI-DOBSON

Minister Speaks Out

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, leader of the largest Methodist congregation in the country, launched a Web site yesterday called James Dobson Doesn't Speak for Me. The site is a jab at Dobson, a stalwart of the religious right who this week said that Barack Obama's interpretation of the Bible in a 2006 speech was distorted to fit Obama's "own worldview, his own confused theology."

Caldwell's site encourages readers to sign a statement declaring that Dobson does not represent them.