Final debate recap

This one a bit anticlimactic -- didn't even have anybody stop by to watch it with us. Much of the ground had already been covered, so little room for innovation. Probably Bush's best performance overall, and yet substituting a plastered smile-ette for his prior scowls didn't save him from looking just as piqued. Kerry managed to point out differences with his opponent that hadn't been addressed previously, as on protecting choice, restricting sales of assault weapons, rationalizing immigration, but Bush probably scored a few points with his "bait-and-switch" suggestion that K couldn't pay for proposed programs. Nothing here to change the overall momentum, which is all Kerry right now.

The news polls after the debates gave the win to Kerry. A quick Gallup poll said Kerry 52-39 (with a balanced sample). QWQ got this from the Times:

Wednesday night's was his most appealing presentation so far, but it was so at odds with his others that some voters might be left puzzled by the inconsistency.

DemfromCT over at Kos has a good wrap-up of the view from the talking heads, which resonates with my take. That is to say, Kerry is Presidential material, and Bush is hiding from questions about what he'll do differently.

Now it's all a war on the ground. Make sure that nobody that you know decides to stay home on November 2! As digby says,

The next two weeks are going to be a wild ride, but the wind is at our backs.

Update (10/15): DemfromCT over at Kos has a nice wrap of how the total effect of the debates is being played, now that the press has had a chance to mull it all over. Let's just say, the Conventional Wisdom has been successfully redirected!