Democratic presidential race tightens: poll

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The 2008 Democratic presidential race has tightened, with Barack Obama gaining on front-runner Hillary Clinton six weeks before the first contest, according to a national Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

Among Republicans, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani expanded his national lead over second-place rival Fred Thompson, the former senator and Hollywood actor, as voters begin to focus on the race for the White House.

"This race is just beginning, let alone all over," pollster John Zogby said.

Clinton led Obama 38 percent to 27 percent in the new poll, a 10-point fall from her 46 percent to 25 percent lead last month. The drop followed a month of attacks on the New York senator from her rivals and a heavily criticized performance in a late-October debate.

Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina remained in third place, climbing four points to 13 percent. All other Democratic contenders scored in low single digits, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson at 4 percent.

About 14 percent of Democratic voters nationwide are still uncertain of their choice as the first contest approaches in Iowa, which kicks off the state-by-state battle to pick candidates for the November 4, 2008, presidential election.

The poll was similar to several other national and state surveys showing Obama, a first-term Illinois senator, gaining on Clinton, the senator from New York who has led most polls all year.

"Clinton had a bad couple of weeks and as a front-runner she's a target for everyone, she's treated almost as the incumbent," Zogby said.