It may be because this month's remembrances of the World Trade Center attacks drew voters' attention to all of the holes being poked in Rudy Giuliani's terrorism résumé. Or it may be because in August several long profiles of him appeared in serious journals, making him out to be sort of a jerk. Or, it may even be because the Republican candidate's daughter just started classes at Harvard, which is a campaign kiss of death. But for whichever reason, Giuliani sunk in the polls today, breathing new life into John McCain's campaign and giving encouragement to newcomer Fred Thompson. He's not doing so hot in early primary states, either. The dip, from polls in June, shows a campaign popularity matrix that mimics Giuliani's own personality. Strong at times, but erratic and plagued by insecurity. And, you know, prone to self-immolation. Which reminds us of a question we've been pondering for a long time: The Republicans are rooting for Hillary to win the Democratic nomination because they can't wait to see her implode when she faces the whole nation. So why aren't the Democrats rooting for Rudy for the same reason?

Rudy's Support Slipping in Multiple Polls [TPM]