IS TRUMP EDGING BACK? – AT 9:46 A.M. ET:  We always urge readers to look at polls carefully, and with some skepticism.  However, there does seem to be a bit of a trend back to Donald Trump and Mike Pence this week, fueled partly by Pence's debate performance.  Again, read with care.  From Rasmussen:

Donald Trump has gained another point on Hillary Clinton in the wake of Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports White House Watch telephone and online survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds Trump with a 43% to 41% lead over Clinton. Yesterday, he was ahead 42% to 41%. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson again earns eight percent (8%) of the vote, while three percent (3%) prefer the Green Party’s Jill Stein. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Trump has been edging back all week. He was five points ahead of Clinton going into their first debate last week but then fell behind by three after widespread criticism of his debate performance. By this past Monday, however, the two major party candidates were in a near tie, and Trump has gained a point on Clinton each day since then.

COMMENT:  This all leads into Sunday's debate, three days from now.  These polls will be washed away by the outcome of that contest.  It will be a town-hall format, where citizen questions are asked.  Theoretically, that should be better for Trump, but there are no guarantees.

At this point, it's still a close race.  But, bottom line, most polls still show Clinton ahead.

October 6, 2016