Barack Obama has opened up some breathing room against John McCain after sealing up the Democratic nomination, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conducted June 6-9. Obama leads McCain among registered voters 47 percent to 41 percent compared to the 3 point lead he had in this poll in April. The margin of error is 3.1 percent. But the NBC-Journal pollsters say that their data shows the race right now looks very competitive despite the glum environment for Republicans.

Obama leads McCain by significant margins among many groups: black voters (83 percent to 7 percent), Hispanics (62 percent to 28 percent), women (52 percent to 33 percent), Catholics (47 percent to 40 percent), independents (41 percent to 36 percent) and blue collar workers (47 percent to 42 percent). But among white men, who accounted for 36 percent of the vote in 2004, McCain leads by 20 points. White suburban women support McCain by 44 percent to 38 percent.