ST. PAUL - Republican delegates are enthusiastically supporting John McCain, according to a new poll from New York Times/CBS News. The survey of 854 of the 2,380 delegates to the GOP convention was conducted between July 23-August 26 over the phone and via the internet:

Just four years ago, at the Republican convention in New York, Mr. McCain, of Arizona, was far less popular than Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, of New York, a poll of party delegates showed. But after besting Mr. Giuliani and other rivals in the primary season this year, Mr. McCain enters this year's convention with the enthusiastic support of nearly 9 in 10 delegates, according to a poll of Republican delegates by The New York Times and CBS News. Just 8 percent have reservations about him, the poll shows.

The GOP delegates also have a brighter view of the economy than their Democratic counterparts and the general public. While 90% of the Dem delegates said the nation was in a recession, 72% of GOP delegates said it was not. "Nearly half" of the delegates said Pres. Bush has "weakened the party."