And you know the conservatives are nervous

When the National Review online has their analysis entitled "Third Time's a Charm?". You can just see them standing with their fingers crossed behind their backs. Wishing... Hoping against hope...

A choice quote from the debate analysis I read in the NRO, by Greg Andres - while of course "pro-Bush" and yes I mean those quotes because you can tell they're lukewarm about this man really in their heart of hearts - is this: "President Bush clearly had enough facts down to sound substantively credible". I think there isn't an intelligent, honest conservative around whose entire belief in the actual abilities of their candidate doesn't come down to exactly this sentiment, or something like it. This is the best they hope for from him! Not that he actually BE substantively credible on policy issues, just that he can muster up enough attention to master the minimum to SOUND substantively credible. Even then, this statement is a reach, and clearly the poll respondents to the CNN poll disagree, but regardless - I think this statement says a whole hell of a lot about how even conservatives - in their heart of hearts - really feel about W.

On The Corner, the National Review chatroom, meanwhile, the best they could come up with was that "the media will of course "spin" this as a Kerry victory". Because God knows the American people can't see the obvious with their own two eyes and hear it with their own two ears...