As I may have suggested here, another thing I don't like about debates like the Presidential one tonight is the use of the word, "win." It's easy to discuss who won the World Series or the Super Bowl or a game of Candy Land. There are explicit rules and official scorekeepers who operate according to those rules. After the Lakers play the Pacers, you don't have representatives of both teams out arguing that their side shellacked the opposition.
But tonight, even before the podiums are cold, partisans and reps will be out in full force, arguing that their guy "won." And I suspect that no matter what the polls say tomorrow morning, most of those folks will still be insisting that the numbers prove the overwhelming victory. (Though they'll argue this more forcefully after the final debate. They still have to lower expectations for their candidate's performance in the next two.)
With a couple of exceptions, I have not been too impressed with John Kerry's speeches lately. On the other hand, I've never been too impressed with any of Bush's public statements, especially in those very rare occasions lately when he's put himself in the position of answering a question from someone who wasn't out to throw him a softball.
I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the whole thing, straight through. I'm recording it on the TiVo and I may go out, take a walk and get some dinner. I may come back, watch the spin first, then watch the debate and see how it measures up. Or maybe I'll skip the whole thing and watch DVDs. I just got The Complete Honeymooners and that could have a lot more to do with the world today than anything Bush or Kerry is likely to say.