New AP Poll: Kerry Up 4

Lots more work to be done, but here's a little encouragement from AP:

Among 944 likely voters, the Democratic ticket of Kerry and John Edwards led Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, 50 percent to 46 percent, in the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs. The Oct. 4-6 survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The race was tied at 47 percent among the 1,273 registered voters in the poll, similar to others showing a tight race.

Is Kerry up four? I don't think so. I'm a big fan of Zogby's polling, which he does for Reuters. His current polling shows Bush up 2. Still, here are some reasons why things are changing. The debate help people see Kerry better, and see Bush for what he is:

Nearly three-fourths of likely voters surveyed by the AP said they had watched or listened to the first Bush-Kerry debate on Sept. 30. About four in 10 - 39 percent - said they came away with a more favorable view of Kerry, while just 8 percent felt better about Bush.

"I was more comfortable with Kerry after the debate," said Louis Robinson, a 66-year-old retiree and Democrat from Pittsburgh. "I just like the way he carried himself."

Nearly one-third of those who watched the debate said it gave them a less favorable view of Bush.

It's gotta suck when you just show up and 1/3 of the audience likes you LESS. Click on the rating of this Yahoo story at the bottom of the page. Let's move it up to the top of the list - drive those Republicans crazy.