If Barack Obama were running against John McCain for the Undergraduate Assembly, Obama would win in a landslide.

On Penn's campus, 81 percent of students said they support Obama, compared to 17 percent who said they support McCain, according to a CBS News/Chronicle of Higher Education/UWire poll released today.

The Daily Pennsylvanian participated in the poll as a UWire member.

Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, is leading McCain, the Republican nominee, 6 to 8 percent in nationwide polls.

Penn students are more liberal than college students across Pennsylvania, with 67 percent of students statewide saying they support Obama and 29 percent supporting McCain.

With the current president and Congress receiving low approval ratings, both candidates are seeking to represent change this election season.

Nearly 76 percent of Penn students surveyed say Obama will bring change to Washington, D.C., with only 21 percent of students saying the same about McCain.

McCain's age is one of the largest issues preventing him from connecting to younger voters.

About half of Penn students see McCain's age of 72 as a problem and believe his age would make it difficult for him to do the work of the presidency.

At the same time, only 13 percent think Obama's age, 47, makes him too inexperienced to lead.

Additionally, about 74 percent of Penn students say they relate to Obama, while only about 19 percent say they can relate to McCain.

The economy is considered one of the most important issues in this election, and recent polls have shown that voters trust Obama more than McCain to handle the current crisis.

The economy is also a major issue for Penn students, with many concerned about finding a job after graduation and paying back student loans.

About 74 percent of Penn students surveyed described the economy as an "extremely important" issue.

Other issues, such as the Iraq War, energy and health care, were only considered "extremely important" by about 40 percent of people.

Despite the poor economic news, 30 percent of students polled in Pennsylvania statewide feel "very confident" about getting a job after they graduate, with 51 percent feeling "somewhat confident."

With Obama as the first black presidential nominee for a major party, race has come to the forefront of this election.

Of those surveyed, 21 percent view racism as a significant issue in the election.

Meanwhile, with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, and Hillary Clinton, who was a major contender for the Democratic nomination, about 17 percent of Penn students view gender as a "very important" issue.

Palin is seen nationally as a controversial choice not only because of her gender - many Americans view her as inexperienced.

On campus, less than 1 percent of students think McCain chose Palin as his running mate because she is well-qualified.

Meanwhile, 38.5 percent say Obama chose his vice-presidential nominee, Joe Biden, because of his experience.

With just over a week left before Election Day, more than 90 percent of registered Penn students are planning to vote in the election.

Many students will vote in Pennsylvania, widely considered a swing state. Seventy-nine percent of students surveyed are registered in the state, with 21 percent registered in another state.