YIKES-A-ROOTIE – AT 8:29 A.M. ET:  Ben Carson now leads Donald Trump nationally in the new New York Times/CBS poll.  Is the Trump boom over?  From The New York Times: 

Ben Carson has taken a narrow lead nationally in the Republican presidential campaign, dislodging Donald J. Trump from the top spot for the first time in months, according to a New York Times/CBS News survey released on Tuesday.

Mr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, is the choice of 26 percent of Republican primary voters, the poll found, while Mr. Trump now wins support from 22 percent, although the difference lies within the margin of sampling error.

The survey is the first time that Mr. Trump has not led all candidates since The Times and CBS News began measuring presidential preferences at the end of July.

No other candidate comes close to Mr. Carson and Mr. Trump. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida received 8 percent while former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, are each the choice of 7 percent of Republican primary voters.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio each received support from 4 percent of those surveyed.

COMMENT:  Are GOP voters tiring of Trump?  I certainly hope so.  The more I see and hear of the man, the more revolted I become.  His vulgarity.  His out-of-control ego.  I really don't want the White House to be renamed Trump Plaza.  I don't want the swimming pool repainted in shocking pink. 

As for Ben Carson, who doesn't like him?  I don't know if he really is right for the presidency, and I fear he'd be eaten alive by Hillary Clinton in a debate.  But the man is superbly accomplished and has fine character.  If he took the oath of office, I'd know we had decency in the White House, which we don't have now.

October 27,  2015