WASHINGTON (AFP) — Democrat Barack Obama surged into the lead Thursday in national polls which showed the financial crisis rocking the White House race and "Palin power" fading for the Republican ticket.

In a CBS/New York Times survey, Obama was up by 48 percent to 43 percent, with the race apparently reverting to the narrow Democratic ascendency seen before two presidential nominating conventions.

The trend was confirmed in Gallup's daily tracking poll, which had Obama up 48 to 44 percent, the first time in two weeks that the Illinois senator had a lead beyond the statistical margin of error. Read Article