After months of the International media all but anointing Senator Barack Obama the next President of the United States, recent polls show that his lead has crumbled to virtually nil.
And a new Zogby poll even has US Senator John McCain holding a quite comfortable 5% lead amongst likely voters.
Obama loses ground among Dems, women, Catholics & even younger voters
Pundits and analysts have pointed to a number of potential reasons for Obama's slow, but steady freefall: His World tour actually harmed him, Republican attack advertisements have sullied his good name, the flare-up between Russia and Georgia raised questions about Obama's foreign policy experience and, quite simply, that his once self-sustaining campaign is beginning to run out of momementum.
But, whatever the reason, the numbers have changed drastically. Should Obama want to avoid the embarrassing fate of Michael Dukakis (Who once held 'insurmountable' leads in the 1988 election against George Bush senior only to see the tides turn in the final months), he must revitalise his campaign immediately.
This week comes news that the Obama team has whittled down its list of Vice Presidential candidates, and appears ready to announce, at any moment, who will fill out the rest of the young Senator's ticket.
Let's take a look at five names:
Text: Matthew Schneeberger
Image: Republican presidential candidate John McCain (L) and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (R) come together with Saddleback Church pastor Rick Warren (C) in the first joint appearance of candidates Obama and McCain in the 2008 presidential campaign at the Saddleback Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion on August 16, 2008 in Lake Forest, California.
Photographs: David McNew/Getty Images
Also read: Obama is US Democratic presidential candidate
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