A Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain in a general election match-up by 51 percent to 44 percent, an advantage beyond the 3 point margin of error but one that still shows a competitive race despite the fact that 8 in 10 Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction as the Bush administration winds down, and the Democrats are considered the party better able to handle the nation’s problems by a 21 point margin. That gap between the public’s faith in Democrats versus Republicans is the biggest since 1982. Hillary Clinton leads McCain 49 percent to 46 percent. The poll was conducted May 8-11.

Obama is favored over Hillary Clinton by Democrats for their party’s nomination by 53 percent to 41 percent, a 2 point gain for Obama over last month’s poll, and that they believe Obama is more electable in November by 62 percent to 26 percent. The margin of error for the Democratic results is 4 percent. Fifty-six percent of Democrats said the length and contentious of the Democratic contest would make no difference for November while 27 percent said it would the party’s chances. Fifteen percent said it would help.