by Yang Qingchuan

After several months of ups and downs, the most-watched U.S. presidential race in recent history is heading for its finish line.

Once again, the final debate between U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama Wednesday night at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y., proved to be another formality rather than a game-changer.

But the impact on each candidate is different. For Obama, now the clear front-runner, making no big mistake is a step closer to the final win. For McCain, now in his familiar underdog role again, his lack-of-magic performance meant he missed another key chance to catch up.

Obama has clear lead

Since June, Obama led McCain in polls for most of the time, but it is until recently he has become a clear front runner. The last two weeks saw the balance tilted further toward Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois, in all the aspects of the race.

In national poll ratings, he now holds a comfortable 8-percentage lead over McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona. That is beyond the statistic error of polling and means a undisputable advantage.

Another good news, perhaps more important for him, is that he is now leading McCain in all battleground states.

Moreover, fresh poll results out Wednesday showed Obama made gains in traditional Republican states.

A new CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation survey in Virginia indicates that Obama holds a 10 point lead over his Republican opponent McCain, 53 percent to 43 percent among likely voters.

President George W. Bush, a Republican, won Virginia by 9 points over Senator John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race and the state hasn't voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since 1964.

"Obama is winning men and women in Virginia, and is doing well across the state east of the Blue Ridge Mountains," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.