CAMPAIGN 2012

Poll: Apparent Slide for Obama Following Debate

A one-day poll suggests the president's debate performance cost him.

Updated: October 5, 2012 | 10:12 p.m.
October 5, 2012 | 9:52 p.m.

A new poll shows a slight change in the presidential race immediately following Wednesday night's debate in Denver, with a 4-point lead for President Obama the day before the debate becoming a 1-point deficit the day after his uninspiring peformance.

On Tuesday, the Washington, D.C.-based Clarus Research Group surveyed 590 likely voters and found Obama leading Mitt Romney, 49 percent to 45 percent. On Thursday, Clarus found, in an identical number of interviews, that Romney had inched ahead by 1 point, 47 percent to 46 percent.

Obama's support slipped by 3 points and Romney's ticked up by 2 points. Because the margin of error for each survey is plus-or-minus 4 percentage points, the change between the two polls is not statistically significant. Additionally, conducting a poll only in one day can introduce additional sources of error.

The polls were conducted via live telephone interviews with landline and cell phone respondents. When both surveys are combined, Obama leads by 2 points, 48 percent to 46 percent.

(RELATED: Making Sense of the Debate -- 6 Takes)

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