New York, Nov 1: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has maintained a comfortable lead over his rival John McCain, and continued to outpace him in swing states, most national surveys showed.

Gallup’s daily poll had Obama up, 50-45 percent. Rasmussen Reports’ daily tracking had him leading by 51-46 percent, a two-point rise since Wednesday.

But Fox News/Opinion Dynamics had Obama ahead by just 47-44 percent - far closer than his 9-point lead last week, The New York Post reported.

Washington, Nov 1: The loser of the looming Barack Obama-John McCain contest is entitled to a consolation prize: An all-expenses-paid, one-way ticket back to the United States Senate.

An Obama loss would shake American politics to its core, but the candidate said that he’d adapt to life as a high-profile foot soldier in the Senate’s Democratic majority.

McCain hasn’t said whether he’d return to the Senate if he loses his White House bid - and his campaign is bristling at the very suggestion.

Washington, Nov 1 : Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama told supporters to expect rival John McCain’s campaign to end in a crescendo of attacks on him.

“More of the slash and burn, say-anything, do-anything politics that’s calculated to divide and distract; to tear us apart instead of bringing us together,” Obama told 25,000 in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Illinois senator said he admired a presidential candidate who said in 2000, “I will not take the low road to the highest office in this land.”

Washington, Nov 1 : In the most recent poll Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama remains in a close race with his Republican rival John McCain, having a three point lead.

The George Washington University Battleground Poll shows Obama leading McCain 45 percent - 42 percent. Twelve percent of likely voters remain undecided.

Washington, Nov 1 : Oprah Winfrey is set to take part in U. S. Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s Election Night rally next week.

The talk-show queen declared her support for the Democrat last December, however, this is for the first time she will publicly back a presidential candidate.

"Oprah will be attending the party," Contactmusic quoted Winfrey’s spokesperson, as saying.

However, if rumours are to be believed, Winfrey is being considered for the role of US ambassador to Great Britain under Obama administration.

Columbus (Ohio), Nov 1 : California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger poked fun at Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s slight frame while praising John McCain at a campaign stop here.

Schwarzenegger had the crowd in the palm of his hand Friday at a John McCain rally with a speech that mixed a healthy helping of jokes with praise for the Republican presidential candidate.

The “Governator,” a former bodybuilder said: “He needs to do something about those skinny legs, make him do some squats and some bicep curls to build up those scrawny little arms. If only we could do something about putting some meat on his ideas,” adding that McCain was “built like a rock.”