Kerry is running the worst campaign since Gore. Still, he has opened up a bigger lead:

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender John Kerry (news - web sites) opened a five-point lead on three tightly bunched rivals in Iowa three days before the state's caucuses, according to a Reuters/MSNBC/Zogby poll released on Friday.

In the latest three-day tracking poll, Kerry gained two percentage points to 24 percent, with Howard Dean (news - web sites) and Richard Gephardt each dropping two points to 19 percent and John Edwards (news - web sites) holding steady at 17 percent.

All four contenders were within the poll's margin of error of 4.5 percent, setting up a tight dash to the finish in Monday's caucuses, the first Democratic nominating contest.

I know that polls mean nothing in Iowa, and can change as fast as the weather, but Kerry winning Iowa and NH could give him some juice.

Update: It's closer.