A new Gallup poll shows Rudy Giuliani continuing to lead the national Republican field with 32%, followed by Fred Thompson at 20%, John McCain at 16%, and Mitt Romney with 9%. While Rudy continues to lead, this is way down from his post-declaration heights, and he's topped out at the low 30's in Gallup polling ever since the Spring.

Thompson's numbers have been very stable/flat since he first started looking at the race back in February. So if he wants to become the social conservative alternative to Rudy, he needs to put in a good performance at today's debate and on the campaign trail in general.

As for McCain, the numbers represent a mini-comeback since his nadir back in August, when Romney had overtaken him for third. But on the other hand, he's still no better than he was back in July.

Romney, meanwhile, continues to languish at the back of the pack nationally. But if he's ahead in Iowa and New Hampshire, is that all that really matters?