George Bush is winning this debate. Kerry's out-of-the-blue invocation of Mary Cheney's name is frankly despicable, and his answers in general sound like the usual carping of a challenger against an incumbent.

How has Bush suddenly gained a mastery of rhetoric and statistics? I won't for a moment imagine that this is the normal state of affairs: our President has been consistently incoherent for most of the last four years. A few more practice sessions with the hidden earpiece? Maybe, although I don't believe it. A moment of lucidity in the midst of whatever degenerative condition the President may be suffering from (be it biological or merely ideological)? It's possible. More likely the President's advisers finally got scared, and decided to put some time into debate prep.

Kerry's been dealing with an outclassed opponent. I hope he manages to adapt by the end of this debate, but at the half-hour mark, Bush's sudden competence is giving him serious problems.