I'm not too bent out of shape on the poll numbers, per se, cause they don't tell the whole story; however, the MSM is clearly trying to create an air of invincibility for Zero
The silver lining is... if McCain can take command in the debates, the next poll could show a huge swing towards McCain, and a Momentum shift.
My guess is Rasmussen’s weightings underestimate GOP turnout. Of late, with micro-targeting, GOP turnout has been more like 36-37%, and I expect it to be even higher this year.
Well, they're not doing a very good job. Tied nationally, and McCain is tied or leading slightly electorally. And something I don't think they can get back is the conservative surge in enthusiasm put in place a bit by McCain fighting back hard, but mostly by his selection of Gov. Palin. The Dems are in trouble, and they know it.
They were hoping for a repeat in 2006 turnout. Now they're scared to death of a 2004 turnout. You'll remember the libs were fired up and Dems turned out like they never had before, giving a North Vietnamese hero the second largest number of votes in Presidential history. Unfortunately the media's abhorrent behavior back then truly pissed off the conservative base, so that we became broken-glass voters and President Bush won by over three million votes.
Heck, even the Natl Republican Senatorial Committee outraised its Dem counterpart by about a million last month. And the Senate Pubbies are seriously swimming upstream. So I'm sure House and gubernatorial candidates in competitive races are seeing the benefits of this past month as far as fundraising and the surge in volunteers.