They also cited polls showing Mr. Kerry with an edge on many of the domestic issues to be discussed.

Now polls show Mr. Kerry ahead of him.

A poll released a week ago by Quinnipiac showed Mr. Kerry with a four-point lead.

Several surveys earlier in the year showed Mr. Kerry with a slim margin.

If there was any sense of panic about polls showing Mr. Kerry trailing by eight points or more, the candidate was not letting on.

Two polls this week, though, showed Mr. Kerry holding a one- or two-point lead.

Other polls show Mr. Kerry with a smaller lead among women, but a lead nonetheless.

The poll showed Mr. Kerry leading by eight percentage points.

Within his camp, aides turned nervous at opinion polls showing Mr. Kerry gaining here.

But other polls that followed in the summer showed Mr. Kerry ahead by a similar margin.