Poll: McCain, Obama nearly tied with women

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A poll by Lifetime Networks released Monday indicates the John McCain-Sarah Palin ticket is virtually tied among women with Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Neither the Democratic nor the Republican ticket has secured a clear majority of women, the voting bloc that has decided presidential elections since 1968, the Every Woman Counts poll indicated.

The poll indicated the Obama-Biden garnered 47 percent to McCain-Palin's 45 percent, with 7 percent undecided.

When asked about readiness to lead the county, McCain edged out Obama 47 percent to 43 percent. However, respondents said Obama was seen as more helpful for the middle class, 57 percent to 32 percent.

Respondents selected Obama over McCain as an agent of change and the candidate who would reform the way Washington does business, the poll said.

McCain was seen as best to "win" the war in Iraq, while Obama was judged to be the most equipped to "end" the war.

The poll was conducted Sept. 11-15 with 534 women likely to vote in the November presidential election. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percent.