Kerry definitely won the debate by theatrical criteria. He looked and sounded better. Bush, as nearly universally acknowledged by now, looked and sounded terrible. He should have spent the day sleeping instead of hurricane-politicking in Florida.

On substance, I flunk them both. Bush was pitiful at defending his record in Iraq. He could hardly attempt it with a straight face. All he could say is that it's hard work and good people are working hard. Yawn.

All Kerry really promised is that he would try to arrange it so that foreign kids were shot and blown up so that fewer American kids would have to suffer. Now there's a policy I can get enthusiastic about. Didn't he promise to send more troops to Iraq?

I don't know what difference it will make in the end, but Kerry did what he had to do.