5 Reasons Mac Is Now Ahead

Barack Obama's juggernaut rose on a (really) unpopular Republican presidency, an unpopular war, and a lousy economy. So why is John McCain suddenly ahead in the polls? Politico tracks five trends that have thrown the Democrats for a loop:

1. McCain successfully established himself as a change agent, eroding Obama’s central brand
2. Sarah Palin gives disenchanted Republicans someone to fervently cheer for

3. Crucial swing voters are moving to McCain’s camp—and it’s not just Palin-struck women. Post RNC, McCain gained a 5-point approval from white men and a 4-point approval from white women.
4. Obama’s lead as the candidate best able to goose the flagging economy is quickly slipping
5. Republican ranks swelled after the RNC, with official party numbers jumping from 39% to 47% of voters