At this point in the campaign poll fluctuations have minimal importance. Still, at least as far as the master media narrative goes, McCain seems to have averted a nose dive. After at least two June polls that showed Obama ahead by double digits, a handful of surveys now shown McCain nipping close at his heels. And today's Washington Post poll--which shows a clean split on Iraq and McCain with a big advantage on the "commander in chief" question--sets what I think will increasingly be a core frame of the race. Which is another reason why McCain's campaign is starting to resemble Hillary's. How long under Mac runs an ad boasting that he's "Ready on Day One"?
--Michael Crowley