OVER AT JohnKerry.com’s campaign blog, they’re referring to Kerry’s appearance on Meet the Press as a “home run.” If that was a home run, I’d hate to see Kerry strike out. On question after question, Kerry managed to turn under-armed softballs into high and tight strikes, and the damage from his reflexive parsing and dodging are just beginning to be recognized.

Kerry tried to deceive Russert on the availability of his military records, and then his campaign tried to stonewall the Boston Globe reporter who heard the candidate quite clearly promise that all the military records would be available to all comers at “headquarters.” That position lasted a day before Kerry sounded retreat, though the files are still not available.