Obama has also fared better in the debates.
More Americans, 32 percent, felt better about Obama after the first two debates. Only 12 percent had a better opinion of McCain after the first two debates.
The third and final showdown will be held Wednesday.
"It's McCain's last chance," Stephanopoulos said.
"McCain may be tempted in the last debate to go hard on the attack, but that could end up hurting him more than helping him in this environment," Stephanopoulos said.
McCain has surprised his critics before. He was counted out in the Republican primaries, only to come back and win the party's nomination.
"This is a tough campaign," McCain told ABC News' Charlie Gibson in an exclusive interview last week. "I'm the underdog. I've always been the underdog from the beginning."
ABC News' Kate Snow contributed to this report.