TRACKERS

Posted at 4:32 p.m. ET

The only particularly interesting thing about today's trackers is this statement from Gallup, which reports Obama up seven, down three from eleven four days ago:

These results, based on Oct. 9-11 polling, represent a narrowing of Obama's lead over McCain. Obama led by double-digits for three consecutive days last week, but now his advantage is down to seven percentage points. Obama has led in each of the last three individual days' polling, but by less than double-digits each day, suggesting that the race is, in fact, tightening.

Well, that's one poll, and we'll have to watch the trend.  Rasmussen also shows an Obama loss, but by only one point from yesterday.  Hotline as well shows Obama down, from ten yesterday to eight today.  Battleground doesn't publish on weekends.  Zogby has Obama up six, contrasted with four yesterday.

I'd also point out that the Gallup tracker tends to swing more wildly than the others, and was the outlier earlier in the week, when it reported Obama up by eleven. 

I wouldn't attach much meaning to today's Gallup statement.  Coming this week is the final debate, and McCain has lost the first two.  Also, we don't know what the financial markets will do.  If they improve, that conceivably can help McCain.  But if they plunge further, that fact will suck the air out of the news, making it hard or impossible for McCain to make progress.

The election is three weeks from Tuesday. 

October 12, 2008.