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I think the traction to be derived from voting records is exaggerated (except maybe on national security issues). Kerry will have to reinforce it all in the campaign, and he is not going to do that. The man is too skillful. Bush needs to show progress in Iraq, progress in the job count, and somehow explain away the ballooning deficit. Moreover, Bush needs to show he is more than a genial somewhat inarticulate guy, with a shaky handle on details. Bush is not Reagan, and Kerry is NOT Mondale or Dukakis. Thus the scheduled Bush grilling by Russert. It will be very interesting to see how Bush holds up. I am impressed by his willingness to submit to the Russert BBQ.

You're giving Kerry way too much credit. He's going to be nibbled down to size by his liberal voting record. His faux populism may not jerk your chain but it will jerk a lot of chains. He's a typical liberal, no donations to charity but he'll take your money in a heartbeat.

Fire hydrant, taxes, DOMA, PBA, death penalty for terrorists and Big Dig corruption with, God forbid, lobbyists. So much for the populist. Death by a thousand cuts. He beat Weld because he was running in Massachusetts. Kansas ain't Massachusetts toto.