Polls: Clinton Closing Gap on Obama

May 2, 2008 — -- Four days before the Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, Sen. Hillary Clinton won the endorsement of Indiana's largest newspaper and has cut Sen. Barack Obama's once imposing lead in North Carolina to single digits.

Clinton's come-from-behind effort also picked up some momentum from a national poll that showed her now in a virtual tie with Obama.

The national survey by the Pew Research Center gave Obama a 47-45 lead over Clinton, a statistical tie when you take in the poll's margin for error. That marks a big mood swing for Democratic voters since Pew's March survey gave Obama a 49-39 lead.

Next Tuesday could be yet another make-or-break moment for the candidates. A victory in Indiana coupled with a close race in North Carolina would bolster Clinton's argument that she is the candidate to take on Republican Sen. John McCain in the general election.

Clinton picked up the endorsement today of Indiana's largest newspaper, the Indianapolis Star. The paper cited "her experience and grasp of major issues." And as she frequently reminds voters, she has won the major states – Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, California and Texas – which, she says, makes her the only candidate who can beat McCain.

The Star's backing came a day after former Democratic National Committee chairman Joe Andrew, who is from Indiana, defected from the Clinton camp and urged Hoosiers to vote for Obama.

The Obama campaign is expected to roll out another former DNC chairman's endorsement today. Paul Kirk, a superdelegate who led the party from 1985-1989, is coming out for Obama.

There are no reliable polls in Indiana because voters don't register by party, but a Mason Dixon poll of North Carolina indicated that Obama's 20 point lead there has vanished and now stands at 49-42.

Clinton is not expected to win North Carolina, but a Clinton defeat in Indiana would rapidly put pressure on her to bow out of the race.

Despite fears from Democratic leaders that the prolonged primary battle is tearing the party apart, neither candidate is ready to throw in the towel.

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said it's premature to count Hillary Clinton out.

"We have millions of voters yet to go to the polls in the nine upcoming contests, literally millions of voters," McAuliffe said on "Good Morning America."

McAuliffe said that after all the popular votes are counted, Clinton will come out ahead.

"We've been in this 16 months, anything can happen in politics," he said. "The bottom line, let me say it one more time, who is it that is best to take the message into the fall against John McCain? Let the process go forward and let's see where we end up at the end of the day."

Joe Andrew, also appearing on "GMA," said neither candidate can win the nomination through primary votes now and it will come down to the party's so-called superdelegates.

"Millions of people are inspired by Barack Obama, just like millions of people were inspired by Bill Clinton back in 1992, when he was a candidate of hope, not fear," Andrew said today on "GMA."

"Look, Barack Obama is the Bill Clinton of 2008, and I think that people are going to continue to surround him. And I think the superdelegates … are going to make the decision known."