Two months is an eternity in politics . . .

[mbali]

Sliding in the polls and facing questions over strategy, {the challenger} on Thursday dismissed . . . campaign critics who, he said, "jump out of the foxhole before the first shell is fired." And he reassured supporters that he would rebound from being an "underdog" to win in November.

"In Washington, sometimes when times get tough, people get a little nervous," {he} told reporters, who quizzed him over new surveys showing that his once-dominant lead has evaporated.

"Listen, {my opponnent} is a very tough opponent," {he} said. "He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes from the pack and wins, if you're going to win. And that's where I'm coming from."

Oh, by the way - this story ran in the Dallas Morning News on September 8, 2000 and was headlined "Bush plays down polls, GOP worries," noting that several polls taken that week showed Bush, "who held a double-digit lead earlier in the summer, now either tied with or trailing Gore." The CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll had Gore leading 47-44.

[Doosh]

1. 5 days is an eternity in politics

[mbali]

2. Right!