A new round of polls explores attitudes about presidential candidates, health policies

A new Washington Post-ABC News polls finds President Barack Obama has a slight edge over his challenger Mitt Romney among registered voters. A CNN poll finds Obama has a bigger advantage on health care and Medicare issues. Another poll by United Technologies/National Journal shows Americans increasingly concerned about the future of Medicare, raising warning flags for both parties.

The Washington Post: Among Likely Voters, Obama-Romney Close
Last week's Democratic National Convention helped President Obama improve his standing against Republican Mitt Romney, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, but did little to reduce voter concern about his handling of the economy. The survey shows that the race remains close among likely voters, with Obama at 49 percent and Romney at 48 percent, virtually unchanged from a poll taken just before the conventions. But among a wider sample of all registered voters, Obama holds an apparent edge, topping Romney at 50 percent to 44 percent, and has clear advantages on important issues in the campaign when compared with his rival (Balz and Cohen, 9/11).

Politico: Poll: Obama Has Double-Digit Advantage On Health Care, Medicare
According to the poll, 54 percent of likely voters think Obama would better handle the issue of health care, compared with 45 percent for Romney. Before the conventions, on Aug. 22-23, Obama led by only 1 point on the issue, 49 percent to 48 percent. On Medicare, the disparity is even more pronounced: Obama leads Romney by 11 points, 54 percent to 43 percent, compared with a 1-point lead back in the pre-convention August poll. Health care is an issue on which the public has been deeply divided, even in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling earlier this summer (Schultheis, 9/10).

National Journal: Medicare Views Raise Warning Signs For Both Parties
With less than two months to go before Election Day, Americans are expressing concern about the viability of the Medicare system, a leading Republican plan to reform it, and whether President Obama's health care plan will help them. This dour tableau affecting both parties is laid out in the latest edition of the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll. A full 68 percent of respondents strongly or somewhat agreed with the proposition that "the Medicare program is running out of money and will have to change if it is to survive." Respondents were slightly more optimistic when asked if "Medicare will pay enough benefits when I get older to cover all or most of my health care needs." Fifty percent agreed with that statement, while 46 percent did not, and 4 percent refused to answer (Cooper, 9/10).