ON THE RUN: Poll averages show Obama’s lead dips

Two averages of national polls released Wednesday show a substantial drop in Barack Obama’s lead over John McCain for the presidency, but there appears to be some question over how much stock can be put in the numbers.

Both the RealClearPolitics.com and the Pollster.com averages show Obama’s lead slipping from more than 7 percent to right at the 6 percent mark.

Scott Rasmussen, whose Rasmussen Report poll showed Obama with a narrow, 3-point lead, said McCain seems to be picking up support by arguing that Obama’s tax plans smack of socialist policies.

But other pollsters say traditional polling models may not be picking up the large number of first-time voters expected to turn out in Tuesday’s election.

Along with its usual survey that focuses on well-established voters, Gallup is conducting a second daily survey that includes more first-timers and others who have stayed away from the voting booth.

Wednesday’s numbers showed Obama with a 3-point lead under the traditional model, 49 percent to 46 percent. The nontraditional survey shows Obama with a 51 percent to 44 percent lead.

Palin promises she’ll be around

In an interview Wednesday with ABC News, Sarah Palin served notice that she will not disappear from the national political scene if the Republican ticket loses.

“Absolutely not. I think that, if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we’ve taken, that … that would … bring this whole … I’m not doin’ this for naught,” Palin said, according to excerpts of a transcript released by the network.

Speaking earlier Wednesday in Ohio, she also called for a “clean break” from the Bush administration’s energy policies, which she says rely too much on importing foreign oil.

Ethics complaint filed against Palin

An ethics complaint has been filed against Sarah Palin, accusing the Alaska governor of abusing her power by charging the state when her children traveled with her.

The complaint, filed by Frank Gwartney, a Democrat from Anchorage, alleges that she used her official position as governor for personal gain, violating a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

It follows a report last week that Palin charged the state more than $21,000 for her three daughters’ commercial flights, including events where they weren’t invited, and later ordered their expense forms amended to specify official state business.

In some cases, Palin also has charged the state for hotel rooms for the girls.

The Alaska Personnel Board will determine whether state law was violated. Dave Jones, an assistant attorney general, said that in general, possible penalties could include fines of up to $5,000. In a case where an official has been found to have benefited, the official could be ordered to pay up to twice the amount of the personal gain.

Palin’s attorney, Thomas Van Flein, said he was not aware of the complaint and could not comment.

Effigy found on Kentucky campus

A life-sized likeness of Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree with a noose around its neck Wednesday at the University of Kentucky, the second time in about a month such an effigy of the Democratic presidential nominee was reported on a college campus.

UK spokesman Carl Nathe said the effigy was found in a high-traffic area between a classroom building and parking garage. Police immediately took it down but released no information about their investigation.

University President Lee Todd said he planned to apologize to the Obama family on behalf of the school and that he is “personally offended and deeply embarrassed by this disgusting episode.”

Federal authorities have been notified, Todd said.

George Fox University in Oregon, a small Christian college, recently punished four students who confessed to hanging a likeness of Obama from a tree.