"Kerry will gain back some ground but not enough to affect the outcome. The race from here on out, is President Bush's to lose."
That's kind of how I see it too. Kerry is remarkably like Gore and Dukakis -- stiff, humorless, out of touch. It's amazing how they keep nominating these kinds of people. Wonder if W would be better served by sidestepping debates, with their potential for a mis-step? Or would he be so berated for chickening out that he would lose too much? I think the last President who did not debate his opponent was LBJ, and it sure didn't hurt him. Of course, the precedent was not so established then, either.
I have heard that POTUS will dump one of the debates.