It’s hard these days to tell who’s on top in the Governor’s race: One day one poll has Pat up. A few days later the same poll has Pat down. Then another poll – by Civitas or High Point University or Elon University or PPP – has Pat up again.

It’s a muddle.

But, sometimes, amid the chaos of a political campaign a sign appears: The only time Jesse Helms, in five statewide campaigns, challenged an opponent to debate was when he trailed Jim Hunt by twenty points – so when I saw Pat’s press release challenging Roy to six debates I thought, That’s not a good sign.