A fight in Indiana? Most of the early October polls showed McCain leading here by comfortable margins, but he is now showing some real slippage. A recent poll by Public Policy shows Obama inching ahead slightly, with a 48-46 lead over McCain. From Public Policy:

Barack Obama is holding a slight lead on John McCain in Indiana, 48-46, according to the newest survey from Public Policy Polling. Obama’s lead in the state is being fueled largely by voter concern about the economy. 60% of respondents list it as their biggest issue when deciding who to vote for this fall, and the Democrat has a 59-34 lead with that segment of the electorate. Obama is also benefiting from strong support with independent voters, among whom he leads 49-39. His 89-11 lead with black voters is just enough to offset the 51-42 advantage John McCain has with whites.“Barack Obama has a real chance to pull off a Midwestern sweep,” said Dean Debnam,President of Public Policy Polling. “Indiana and Missouri are the two toughest wins for him there but we’ve found him with a two point lead in each of those states over the last week. If Obama can hold on to enough white voters in those places his overwhelming black support will put him over the top.”

McCain must see some slippage in his internal polling, as he has dispatched Sarah Palin to Indiana to shore up the state. I would guess this may be the latest public appearance by a Republican in Indiana in modern times. Obama’s massive financial edge is also having an impact, as it is everywhere. Attached is an Indiana radio spot cut for Obama by John Mellencamp. I believe McCain may hold on in Indiana, but he is forced to fight in all the wrong places.