Phil, it is not just the Rasmussen poll. I am always hesitant to
put much stock in one poll but if you look at Rudy's
RealClearPolitics average it is up to 10.3% after drifting down a
week or so ago into the 6% range. This is not all attributable to
the Rasmussen poll. The Cook RT/Strategies poll also shows
improvement and Gallup, Newsweek and NBC/Wall Street Journal show
him either steady or improving from past polls. Is this former
McCain voters finding another candidate? Is it Thompson excitement
cooling? I think it's all of these plus a fairly impressive
combination of conservative messaging, a solid debate performance
and --perhaps the biggest-- electability worries. The latest CNN
poll shows Rudy cruising in the electability category with 44% and
Thompson, his closest challenger, at 20%. Hillary may be the best
thing Rudy has going for him.