Poll Results part II

Real polls have been released. Newsweek shows 61% think Kerry won the debate, versus 19% for Bush. LA Times has is 54% Kerry, 15% Bush. More interestingly, Newsweek, which had Bush ahead overall by 54% to 43% after the GOP convention now shows Kerry leading by 47% to 45%. LA Times has Kerry up by 2% as well.

You certainly wouldn't have known it from the post-debate news coverage, most of which seemed unwilling to admit the obvious: that Bush looked defensive, hesitant, befuddled and frustrated. This is another case of the media bending over backward to avoid seeming liberal that they wind up being functionally conservative.

It went so badly for Bush that I wonder if there's a danger of expectations being lowered for him to the point that he can't fail in the next two debates. That happened with Reagan in 1984 when he seemed like a confused old man in the first debate, then came out and did OK in the second, which was good enough.

In other news this week, Mt St Helens had a very minor eruption the other day and they say there will probably be a larger one. Jay Leno is stepping down from the Tonight Show in favor of Conan O'Brian...in 2009. More beheading videos released from Iraq. Crude oil closed above $50 a barrel for the first time.

Mt. St. Helens, on Friday