In the meantime, he lost it and got it back. I think since the debates ended, Bush has been ahead, if you measure it by averaging the tracking polls. I think that the underlying factors that favor Bush have continued to operate in that period. People prefer consensus to confrontation. His unfavorable rose after the first debate and have continued very high.
More voters prefer smaller government.
Al Gore with his people vs. the powerful campaign is headed for a larger government. What I think really motivates the candidates is the desire to do everything they can lest they wake up the morning after the election and find themselves a few votes short. I note that George W. Bush today has stops in Tennessee and Arkansas, Gore's and Clinton's home states, where he seems to have a good chance to win. The late campaigning has mostly been conducted on turf favorable to Bush. Which means both campaigns believe Bush is ahead.