In my self-designated role of "caster of cold water," I fear that many in the media are now talking up Bush as much as possible in the fear that he'll drop quickly post-convention.

Remember, he could give a mediocre speech tonight, and the spin will soon be "The rest of the party is so much better than him, he's being carried along by them" or something to that effect.

I've said it for a year: it all ends in the debates.

Dave
Arlington, Virginia

'I've said it for a year: it all ends in the debates. '-- Dave

I think that the debates will be at most a draw for Kerry.
Remember how Gore was going to clean GWB's clock in 2000? How he was ever so educated and informed and GWB could hardly string 2 words together. Well Kerry is a MUCH WORSE CANDIDATE THAN GORE.MUCH MUCH MUCH WORSE.GWB has been mis-underestimated again and this time Kerry is taking everyone down with him..
GWB is likeable and Kerry is not and that is what the debates will emphasize.By that time the ship will be down by the bow and all forward compartments will be flooded.
I would get out that dress if I were in the Kerry campaign.

Speaking of getting out of that dress, check out this "wardrobe malfunction" which befell Miss Universe yesterday in Australia.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=15745

She did her country proud!

Ace,

I ran into John Forbes Kerry at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco earlier this year. It was sometime before the Iowas caucus when Dean was about 300 points ahead of Kerry.

Kerry was there for a fund raising event, I was staying there on business.

As I was waiting for my car from the valet, three minivans pulled up. Out from the vans came three 20 or 30-something guys with Kerry buttons on their lapels.

And then it happened.

At first I couldn't believe how tall and thin he looked, or how slowly moved, or how tired he looked.

Kerry looked like he had just been fired and whose dog was killed, and whose wife left him all in the same day.

Kerry looked like the most defeated man imaginable.

I thought to myself, "This guy is running for President? Loser."

True Story.

"If that Meet the Press performance by Kerry is characteristic of the man when losing (and I don't know that it is), the definite feeling of "loser" is going to be coming through the tv screens whenever Kerry is interviewed. Assuming he's behind, that is."

That's also assuming that the guy ever does an interview again.

Ace,

Zogby Poll, Bush leads by 2 points.

No Lost in Space Robot-thingy.

Re-election and job performance still unfavorable overall.

Sigh.

I may come here purely to read the articles but that Miss Australia thing is the aperitif.

I thought Bush did well tonight. He was good, if kinda boring, in the beginning. But that ending was one for the ages. I'm sure I saw tears in his eyes. I'm a big cynic, but I got choked up.

Over at my site, I gave Bush the "Charlie Hustle Home Plate Award for Spectacular Finishes." Bush smacked his finish like Ray Fosse caught in headlights.

Cheers,
Dave
Arlington, Virginia

"Zogby Poll, Bush leads by 2 points."

Yeah, but Zogby had bush down by 5 in the previous poll.

Job numbers tomorrow!

Ace,

Regarding the Kerry "recovery" from Dean, you can largely credit that to Gephardt's grip o' death negative ad campaign that carried he and Dean over the cliff. The Iowa voters found Kerry standing there looking confused, and decided he was the winner. What other choice did they have? Kucinich?

nice post. i wouldn't be surprised if dubya was up 6-8 points. i think it's overly optimistic though.

time will tell.