FEELING A LITTLE EDGY, KARL?

It seems the numbers aren't on their side:

One Republican official described the mood at the top of the campaign as apprehensive. " 'Grim' is too strong," the official said. "If we feel this way a week from now, that will be grim."

It was the third time in eight days that Bush had devoted an entire day to campaigning in Florida, and the dramatic stagecraft underscored the conclusion of his aides that -- as in 2000 -- the election will come down to Florida.

No, I think they're missing the point. The election comes down to having someone who can fix Florida.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

The Republican official said polling for Bush showed him in a weaker position than some published polls have indicated, both nationally and in battlegrounds. In many of the key states, the official said, Bush is below 50 percent, and he is ahead or behind within the margin of sampling error -- a statistical tie.

"There's just no place where they're polling outside the margin of error so they can say, 'We have this state,' " the official said. "And they know that an incumbent needs to be outside the margin of error."

Karl Rove, the White House senior adviser, said Bush will win a solid enough victory that the result will be clear sometime after midnight, although he made no prediction about the margin of victory or the number of states Bush would carry.

"But hey, we have the Supreme Court in our pocket, so it shouldn't be an issue."
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