The Debate, Round I

Feels good. Feels real good. Kerry looked strong from the get go, hit the two minute mark perfectly from the first question and was strong and solid throughout. I knew it was going well when Republicans watching at work left the room quite angrily, and the undecided voter told me this met he would lean Kerry come election time.

Bush seemed to have about 10 minutes of material to try and stretch out over 90 minutes of debate. I think Karen Hughes and company told Bush for so long he was going to win that he believed he had to do nothing tonight. He looked agitated, annoyed that his record was being questioned, and very unprepared. I think he expected Lehrer to call Kerry a flip-flopper for half the debate and praise Bush for being decisive for the second half. Instead, Kerry looked like a President, and Bush looked like a runner up.

The spinners have been spinning for a while, and it sound good for Kerry, still. The real debate battle starts tomorrow morning with the spin. One guy on CNN called this the other bookend to 9/11, a time when people propped up Bush because we desperately needed a leader, and this is a moment when (this are his words, I believe) the collective breath left Bush and entered Kerry.

Would I go that far? No. But I think Kerry looked a lot stronger than most thought he would.

More on actual text later on, if I can stay awake.

*UPDATE* What he said.