Some delegates admitted Wednesday night to having an eye on the polls, but many more expressed excitement about vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman and optimism about the ticket's chances for victory.

"We all remember (Massachusetts Gov. Michael) Dukakis' 17-point lead in 1988," said James Ruvolo, an Ohio delegate and political consultant from Toledo. Dukakis lost to George Bush, father of the current Republican nominee.

Republican George W. Bush had an 11-point lead over Gore, 48 percent to 37 percent, in a Voter.com-Battleground tracking poll released Thursday. It has an error margin of 3 percentage points. That's the same as the margin on Wednesday.

The vice president has yet to see any convention "bounce" in his tracking poll numbers. But in the week between the conventions, he virtually cut in half the 18-point lead held by Bush.

"What's important is the poll taken this weekend," said Rep. Martin Meehan of Massachusetts. "If an 11-point lead can be cut in half, then the Democrats have a chance."

Many delegates said the choice of Lieberman strengthened the ticket and said it is too early to worry about polls. But a few said the Democrats face a tough fight.

"The Republicans this time seem to have their act together," said Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. "I think we have to be extra strong, work extra hard."

Richardson told New Mexico delegates that winning the state's five electoral votes would be important to the Gore campaign because the election would be close.

Bush had a 21-point lead among independent voters in the poll of 1,000 likely voters taken Monday and Tuesday. Gore will have to target those swing voters now.

Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden told a group of delegates earlier Wednesday "there's a lot of anxiety hanging over this convention" because of Bush's lead in the polls.

Many delegates said they were confident the race would shift their way in the fall.

"George W. Bush will find a way to blunder between now and November," said Chuck Driebe, a 65-year-old delegate from Atlanta.

Some held out hope the Democratic convention would boost Gore into a close race with Bush by week's end.

"Mr. Bush is still enjoying his bounce," said Roosevelt Coates, a delegate from Cleveland. "By Friday evening, those polls will change."

John Forbes, a Los Angeles Democrat in the entertainment industry, said he does have some concerns about the election.

"If we have one concern, it's with Mister (Ralph) Nader," he said, noting Nader's support in states like California could cost the Gore campaign.

A theme that was often mentioned in the noisy convention hall was the Democrats' strength on the issues.

Ann Reuter, a 53-year-old Florida delegate from Vero Beach, said Bush got a bounce in the GOP convention because of his image.

"He did a good job of casting, but he didn't really have a handle on the issues," she said. "I think once people realize the difference in the issues it will make an enormous difference in the polls."