There are numerous diaries on a daily basis ruminating over single data points of polling (almost always daily trackers) that look ... umm ... "concerning." To the extent that national polls matter at all at this point (which is questionable to begin with), single data points are not at all predictive. What can be predictive is polling averages. So here are the RealClearPolitics averages for the past week.
10/11 6.6 (THIS WAS OBAMA'S ALL-TIME HIGH WATER MARK AT THE TIME)
10/12 7.6 (THIS WAS OBAMA'S BEST DAY EVER)
10/13 7.0
10/14 7.2
10/15 7.3
10/16 6.8
10/17 6.8 (NO GALLUP TRACKER YET)
Remember back in June and July when we were all feeling pretty confident? WELL WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN THAT RIGHT NOW. The RCP average today is higher than it ever was in June, July, August, or September, or the first 10 days of October. It is only 0.8% lower than Obama's best day ever, which occurred less than a week ago.
The race is stable. McCain's downward movement could never be sustained forever, although he and Sarahcuda have sustained it for an incredibly long period. There was always going to be some plateauing or small bounce-back. Given Obama's superior resources and his campaign kicking McCain's ass on the ground in the swing states, there is just no objective basis for panic. In summation, I guess my message is donate, volunteer, do everything you can, but calm the f@%^ down.