Poll: People split on change of status quo

PRINCETON, N.J., July 1 (UPI) -- U.S. voters seem closely divided about not getting enough change and getting too much with the next president, a Gallup poll indicates.

Nearly half of respondents to a USA Today/Gallup poll released Tuesday said they are "very concerned" likely Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona would pursue policies too similar to what President George Bush has pursued.

However, the poll said about 50 percent of people polled expressed concern likely Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois would go too far in changing Bush's policies, including 30 percent who are "very concerned," the Princeton, N.J., pollster said.

The Obama campaign has tried to paint McCain as offering a "third Bush term," while the McCain camp says Obama is inexperienced and would steer the country away from the status quo.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews conducted June 15-19 with 1,625 adults. The sampling error is 3 percentage points.