Near the end of tonight's debate it occurred to me that even if this debate ends up regarded as a tie (and there's no way to know until after a few days of post-debate spin by both sides has had it's effect) that tonight ends as win for Kerry.

Why? Prior to the debate, much of Bush's support was soft and largely based on the brilliant job they did in making a cartoon character out of Kerry. There were a lot of folks --- a lot of Democrats, even --- who simply did not want to vote Bush, but the picture created of Kerry made them wary of getting behind him.

Twice now Kerry has stood along side of Bush, with the filter gone and looked either far better or equally as impressive/strong.

Thus, those previously concerned about voting for Kerry are being put greatly at ease, and I believe the polls will continue to show that in the next few days by moving more and more in Kerry's direction. Precisely as they have been since Debate #1.

As to the accuracy of the picture given by those polls, no matter who is leading between now and Nov. 2nd...well, I'll have more to say on that in the coming days and weeks. Suffice to say, Bush supporters would be wise not to count any poll-based chickens before they hatch.

No, not tonight's debate. But our servers after the debate. Just as we started our Post-Debate Open Thread. Oh, well... We're back up. Some post-debate observations and info to come...The Internets can be fickle things.

UPDATE: Major power outtage where our servers were located was the cause of the outtage. Our backup power-supply ran for about 1/2 hour before running out of steam. The area, I am told, is still running on backup generators, though hopefully the transition back to full power shortly will be smooth.

Who won? Who lost? Catch any Media Whore spin? Share it right here as you see it.

The debate is won in the post-debate spin. Who's winning tonight? Click COMMENTS...

Open for business! Join us in with any thoughts about tonight's Debate as it happens! Add your play-by-play thoughts to the historic on-the-fly record!

All thoughts, from all sides are welcome! We'll be here all night, though I'll open up a Post-Debate LIVE Open Thread as the official debate ends so you can share any post-debate thoughts and spin, etc!

Hit the COMMENTS button and come on in!

Stop on by during the Great Debate in the Show-Me State for LIVE thoughts and opinions from myself and anyone else who cares to stop by in an Open Thread during the proceedings!

The debate tonight is from boyhood home of St. Louis, Missouri! So I'm sure the citizens asking questions in tonight's Oprah-style debate will do us all proud...(Please read that with a healthy dose of cyncism!)

See ya here at 6pm PT, 9pm ET tonight! I'll try to open up the thread about 30 minutes or so prior to that for any pre-debate thoughts/commentary!

P.S. You may now use (and point your friends to) the easier to remember www.BradBlog.com!

P.P.S. Got some deadlines I need to hit today, so unless I get really outraged about something (has been known to happen) new posts may be few and far between from now until tonight's open thread...but as I say, we'll see...

Holy cow...If this is for real, it's amazing...

Below is part of a scan from a Michigan absentee ballot received recently by a voter. Note how selecting/completing the arrow that points to Kerry/Edwards would actually end up as a vote for Bush/Cheney since the arrows seem to be misprinted next to the names! It's only only the Presidential section of the ballot (full ballot scan is here)

(Click on ballot for full scan of entire ballot)

Add this to the latest developing Florida mess. What the hell has this government been doing for the last four years that they couldn't clean up this nonsense once and for all?! (don't answer that) Unbelievable.

(Thanks Corey for the tip!)

UPDATE: Further investigation reveals this item has been out in the blogosphere for the last coupla days. Mostly on the right side of Blogistan where they see the error as a potential anti-Bush error, instead of an anti-Kerry error. But it seems Kos ran a piece on this as well. In truth, it just seems like a mess to me. Here's an update from someone who claims to have Emailed the Michigan Secretary of State about the error and was told the error only went out to 69 voters. Hmmm...Vigilance.

UPDATE: Now Missouri! How hard could this possibly be people?!

I hate hitting refresh on this page every day. Yet I do it. Virtually every day, the number increases. Today the count of dead U.S. Troops in Iraq jumped tragically from 1064 to 1067.

Even that awful and ever-growing number does little justice to properly remind Americans of the disaster that we've been put through by this horribly failed Administration. I'm not sure that anything but the Bush Legacy as viewed by History years from now, once all the partisans have moved on a bit, will ever properly put things in the perspective they deserve.

Even if Bush is removed from office --- and unless outside events change things, I believe that he will be --- it's unlikely that Americans will ever receive the explanation and apology they are owed for the extraordinarily cynical and corrupt manipulation of the good will and benefit-of-the-doubt that we, as a country, had entrusted in these deadly Snake Oil Charlatans.

It's been revealed that Cheney presided over only two Tuesday Senate Sessions (the same number that Edwards did so as well), contrary to this claim in the Veep Debate:

Adding to the previous information we have of Cheney hanging out with Edwards in the past, does it strike anyone as odd that Republicans don't seem quite as concerned about public officials lying as they once were...say, during the years of 1992 to 1998 for instance?

Anyway, here's proof that Cheney did show up at least once in the Senate, and incidentally, another instance of Cheney "not" meeting Edwards...Sigh...

(Courtesy of Jesus' General.)

Well, they've finally come out and admitted what many of us have known for years. According to "a Bush advisor" in today's Washington Post:

...That as yet another new "Terror WARNING!!!" is released, cynically aimed squarely at those "Security Moms" to capitalize on their fear for the safety of their children. The "Security Moms" they had last week...and that they're beginning to lose this week. Right on schedule, the "WARNING!!!" coincides predictably with Bush's slide into the annals of a shameful chapter in American History.

Aravosis' has the full story.

(Via Fin at What We Know.)

Incredibly, AP (not The Onion) just released this headline: "Cheney: Weapons Report Justifies Iraq War"

Good lord. They're gonna fall all the way on their sword over this one. Which is fine by me. Keep digging, boys.

Meanwhile, back in Reality Land...

Documenting the many lies, fibs, misstatements and misdirects of the Veep has become a mini boom industry. Here's a few samples:

The effects of all of that and the continuing array of crappy news for Bush is starting to show more and more as all his chickens come home to roost just in time. The latest AP Poll of likely voters now puts Kerry over Bush 50% to 46%. Perhaps Good really will prevail over Evil after all.

Now that the U.S. House of Representatives has defeated the Gay Marriage Ban Amendment and Louisiana courts have overturned the ban on gay marriage in that state, it does not mean you must marry a homosexual.

That goes for heterosexuals in any state that may allow gay marriage in the future.

To be clear: Heterosexuals needn't feel threatened by gay marriage since there will be no requirement that they must marry someone of the same sex. That will be optional.

As well, you needn't feel that gay marriage is a threat to your heterosexual marriage. Such marriages will still be allowed just as they were before gay marriage was allowed. You will not need to change your marital status in any way, shape or form.

I hope I've cleared up any confusion and helped to put you at ease.

Dear Bush Supporters:

Please read the following carefully...

Hans Blix was right. David Kay was right. Scott Ritter was right. Your "President" was wrong.

There were no stockpiles of WMD.

There were no WMD.

There were no WMD programs.

There were no WMD related program activities.

Is that now clear?

If it isn't, please take another swig of Kool-aid or refer to the FINAL Report of the United States' Chief Weapons Inspector in Iraq.

Thank you. We'll now consider this matter closed.

(If you still haven't gotten the message, please go here and be with the other sad, confused and deluded people like yourself who are now officially in a perpetual state of denial and/or dementia. Please consult a doctor before November 3rd for your own safety. Good day.)