A Pretty Good Hand

IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE how Bob Schieffer could have been more pro-Kerry in last night’s debate–short of actually wearing a Kerry-Edwards button.

Which makes the president’s win even more impressive. Despite talking points cueing questions to Kerry on jobs and minimum wage, and intended-to-put-him-on-the-defensive set-ups about “what do you say to the man who lost his job,” “assault weapons,” and “is sexual orientation a choice” hardballs at Bush’s head, the president calmly turned the questions to the issue he wanted to get to and put Kerry in a corner he can not possibly escape from in 20 days.