Combined with the McCain’s jump in the latest Quinnipiac University poll released today, the news seems to support the notion that the ongoing crisis between Georgia and Russia is playing to McCain’s advantage.

While a July 15 Quinnipiac poll had Obama 9 points ahead of McCain, today's poll has McCain trailing by 5, with 47 percent of likely voters preferring Obama, and 42 percent favoring McCain.  

Calling the race even more closely is today’s Gallup Daily Tracking poll which shows John McCain trailing Barack Obama by only 1 percentage point.  

The Gallup poll is backed up by today’s Rasmussen Reports Presidential Tracking Poll which also shows Barack Obama attracting 45 percent of the vote while John McCain earns 42 percent. When "leaners" are included, it’s Obama at 47 percent and McCain 45 percent.  

According to the Quinnipiac survey, a large majority of respondents said they could see the Sen. John McCain handling the situation with Russia more effectively than his Democratic counterpart.  

In dealing with Russia, 55 percent of likely voters said they could see McCain handling the situation better, compared with 27 percent for Obama. Expectedly, when the question was posed to Republicans, they supported McCain overwhelmingly, 86 percent to 5 percent.  

Interesting, for Obama, Democrats were not equally supportive of his credentials to handle the growing crisis. A surprisingly scant 48 percent of Democrats said Obama would handle the Russia better. Thirty-one percent of Democrats, including Obama supporters, said that McCain would be better qualified to deal with Russia.  

Obama’s poll numbers have been wavering all month, However anticipation about his VP choice, the kick off of next week’s democratic convention and Obama’s high profile acceptance speech before 75,000 in Denver are expected to give him a bump before the republicans steal the spotlight on Aug. 29 when John McCain is expected to formally announce his running mate.