US President Bush leads Sen. John Kerry by 8 percentage points among likely voters, the latest USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll shows. That is a smaller advantage than the president held in mid-September but shows him maintaining a durable edge in a race that was essentially tied for months.

Among all registered voters, Bush's lead widened a bit to a statistically significant 11 points.

The candidates move toward their first debate Thursday with the president ahead and terrorism on voters' minds. But his margin isn't overwhelming, and campaign analysts say the three debates over the next 15 days could solidify Bush's lead -- or upend it.

"The debates are the only thing left that John Kerry can utilize to bring this race back to dead even," said Matthew Dowd, chief strategist for Bush's campaign.

Kerry pollster Mark Mellman says the survey is evidence that the Massachusetts senator, who has begun criticizing Bush more sharply for his handling of Iraq and terrorism, is staging a comeback. "Every poll out there shows a dramatic narrowing of this race," Mellman said. He calls the contest basically even.

But other findings in the survey indicate that Kerry's standing on some fundamental measures has eroded, presumably as a result of Republican hammering in TV ads and on the stump.

Source: Agencies