AP story on yet another poll released last night:

Confidence in Bush fades, new poll shows

. . . The CBS-New York Times poll found that 45 percent say they have confidence in Bush's ability on international crises and 50 percent said they do not. On the economy, four in 10 said they have confidence in his ability to handle it, while 56 percent did not.

His overall job approval rate was at 51 percent, with 42 percent disapproving.

This, however, just baffles me:

A majority of people, 63 percent, said Bush has strong qualities of leadership and more than half, 53 percent, think he has more honest and integrity than most people in public life.

AP has a completely unfocused story sort of centered on the fall DNC meeting starting Thursday, but it has a few good nuggets in it:

Most DNC members said they believe Dean's fund-raising success makes him a sure bet to survive the first few primary rounds, and the only question now is who emerges as the alternative. Some are anxious to get on with it.

"The fact that these candidates haven't caught fire, haven't raised any money, can't campaign in every state and won't even qualify for Secret Service protection in January tells me it's time for them to go," said Donna Brazile, manager of Vice President Al Gore's 2000 campaign.

That first part is interesting, and follows what I have suggested, that the press will turn it in to Howard Dean vs. The Alternative.

If Wes Clark gets over his early jitters it looks like that spot is his to lose. Nobody else has looked viable for months.

And it would be nice to get some of the underbrush out of the way. It's hard for two--or even three--serious guys to debate with all those other guys (and one woman) on the stage. Most of them are just getting in the way.

I guess if I were Kerry or Gephardt I'd stick in there, because any thing can happen. Dean and Clark could both self destruct still. That's about the only hope for those two, and hope is down to just about zero for anyone else.

Very conflicting signals, but here is the latest from AP late tonight:

Graham Tells Colleague He's Out; Campaign Says He Still In

WASHINGTON -- Democrat Bob Graham told a Senate colleague Thursday that he would abandon his struggling presidential bid, a Democratic source said, but in a day filled with mixed signals, aides said he will continue to campaign.

The Florida senator's future in the crowded Democratic field remained in doubt as the campaign made several staff changes and held a series of high-level meetings.

Initially, the Graham campaign announced a news conference for Friday at 2 p.m., suggesting that he would quit the race. But late Thursday, the campaign and state Democratic Party said there would be no news conference. "Sen. Graham has decided to soldier on," said Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox.

Graham, after one of several staff meetings in Florida, said, "We'll make a decision shortly."

Washington Post editors will be pissed if he calls it off tomorrow. They have already gone to press with a Friday story saying he is staying in, and strategizing how to revitalize the campaign.

Is the guy really in denial that deep? He has gone nowhere and it's just getting worse, and he is getting further and further behind in the money. It looks like he raised about $2 million in the quarter just ended, or about $13 million less than Howard Dean.

And to top it off, senior campaign officials started bolting. They see the writing on the wall. Can't he?

And when are the other also-rans going to start bowing out gracefully? Like Kerry, for instance. It's a bit premature for him, but he's looking more and more invisible since Clark appeared on the scene.