In the event, Barak sabotaged his rival's "virtual candidacy", only to lose at the polls himself.
Facing dismal poll numbers himself and tough budget decisions ahead, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg yesterday criticized the election process in California that allowed voters to recall Gov. Gray Davis less than a year into his second term.
If he fails to turn around the polls, he himself could be under threat.
— MICHAEL BARBARO — MICHAEL BARBARO 9 27 P.M.Santorum in the Cross Hairs Rick Santorum — moving up in the polls — found himself in the cross hairs tonight.
A tired but tenacious Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose Labour government is lagging in the polls, described himself, somewhat improbably as "the most optimistic man in Britain".
Mr. Giuliani, who has led in national polls, found himself and his record in New York — including his past support for gun control — under scrutiny.
Bill de Blasio, the Democratic nominee, who has a huge lead in the polls, allied himself with prominent civic groups in a campaign to deny the Garden a long-term permit.
Mr. Paul, who has emerged as a top-tier candidate in Iowa in recent polls, distinguished himself from his Republican rivals when the conversation turned to the justification of war.
Herman Cain, whose 9-9-9 tax plan has rocketed him to the top tier of candidates in polls, found himself at the bottom of a brief pile-on as rivals all denounced the plan as unworkable, unfair and — in the case of an accusation from Representative Ron Paul of Texas — downright dangerous.
Although Farage's party, which is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU partly in order to prevent the influx of EU immigrants, is riding high in the polls, Farage himself is trusted on the issue by 34% of people, while 53% mistrust him.
