A NEW poll has some worrying news for the Democrats: it shows the likely Republican nominee, John McCain, would beat both Democratic candidates for president if the election was held now.

The Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll found that among all registered voters, Senator McCain was 2 percentage points ahead of Barack Obama, 44 per cent to 42 per cent, within the margin of error; and leading 46-40 against Hillary Clinton.

But Senator McCain had his own campaign dramas on Tuesday, after a conservative radio host, Bill Cunningham, embarrassed him in an introduction at a rally in Cincinnati, repeatedly referring to Barack Hussein Obama, emphasising the senator's middle name.

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Senator McCain, unaware of the comments until he had finished talking, apologised unreservedly and said he took full responsibility. But, already battling a barrage of criticism from conservative shock jocks for being too liberal, Senator McCain has now upset at least one more.

"He just threw me under the bus for the national media," Cunningham railed on air. "I have had it. I'm going to endorse Hillary Clinton."

The new survey shows Democratic primary voters prefer Senator Obama by 48-42 over Senator Clinton, the first time he has overtaken her in a Bloomberg/Times poll.

In the final debate on Tuesday before the primaries in Texas and Ohio - states that Senator Clinton must win to continue in the race - the two candidates engaged in robust but civil debate.

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