Handicapping

Vodkapundit is doing debate prep. Beats doing it myself.

What to expect?

If Kerry whups Bush and whups him good, then he can stop worrying about states like New Jersey, Minnesota, and New Mexico - which would put a minimum of 30 EC votes back in his pocket. That's no small change. What would count as a whupping? Taking Bush off message, making him do that blinking thing, making Bush look like the flip-flopper. Any and all of which Kerry could do.

If Bush whups Kerry, then, again, it's all over. What would count as a whupping? Leaving Kerry speechless (something I'd pay real American dollars to see), making Kerry look unnervingly boring, successfully painting Kerry as an overly-nuanced flip-flopper. The first two whups probably aren't doable - Kerry is just too nimble a debater. The third is the trap Bush has been setting for Kerry for months. All that remains to be seen is, can the trap be sprung? Well, that depends on Kerry - and any trap relying on the willingness of the intended victim isn't all that likely to work.