Posted 11:10 AM by Robert

Remaining Deadlocked? Holding Steady? Not Of This Earth.

Reuters today reports that Mr. Zogby tells them that John Kerry and George Bush go into tonight's final debate tied:

President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry remain deadlocked in the White House race going into their final debate, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday. Bush and Kerry held steady at 45 percent each in the latest three-day tracking poll, raising the stakes for Wednesday night's pivotal final debate in Tempe, Arizona.

So as of today, October 13, the candidates "remain deadlocked" and "held steady." That's quite a trick considering that on October 11 Reuters reported:

Democratic challenger John Kerry expanded his slight lead over President Bush to three points in a tight race for the White House, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Monday. The Massachusetts senator held a 47-44 percent lead over Bush in the latest three-day tracking poll, up two points from Sunday. Bush's support dropped one point and Kerry's support rose one point in the new poll.

So Senator Kerry has lost 3 points in the Zogby Poll against Mr. Bush in the two days before the final debate. Yet Reuters and Mr. Zogby say that the candidates "remain deadlocked" and "held steady."

It seems that remainings deadlocks and holdings steadies just don't last the way they used to! The Zogby/Reuters approach here evokes Woody Allen's speculation about the possible existence of alien civilizations more advanced than ours by fifteen minutes - which gave them a big advantage in making appointments on time.