Gallup shows Barack Obama’s margin shrinking to 3 points, after running 5 or 6 points earlier this week, while Rasmussen sees it as a 1-point race. This may be a one-day blip — statistical noise — or it may be evidence that John McCain has scored with his tough stance on the Russian invasion of Georgia.

“We are all Georgians” might be saber-rattling balderdash, but if there is one consistency in presidential elections for the past 40 years, it’s that (ceteris paribus) voters generally prefer the more hawkish candidate as chief executive.

On the other hand, if Maverick manages to pull off an upset victory this year — and, as McCain said Tuesday, he’s the underdog — expect Democrats to console themselves with the excuse that their candidate was Swiftboated by the vicious Republican attack machine and, oh by the way, it was all about racism anyway.