Post-Debate Free Association

Instanalysis:

• In the absence of major blunders or drawn blood, Kerry wins just by being on the same stage as Bush. Thank goodness.
• Bush by contrast gets points for competence on foreign policy.
• Biggest single missed opportunity for Kerry: "If you don't want Allawi to be seen as a puppet of the US, here's a suggestion: Don't have your campaign staff write his speeches."
• Second-biggest missed opportunity for Kerry: "I don't have to think Iraq was the right war. I didn't make the decision to invade without getting a real coalition together. I'm not the one who failed to send enough troops to secure the whole country. I'm not the one who failed to plan for the occupation afterwards. And I'm not the one who has no plan for pacifying the country and getting our troops home."
• Bush and team have a good line about not "holding against" Kerry the fact that he thought Saddam was a threat. I don't think he managed to draw blood with that, but it's something to watch out for.
• Bush got Kerry good on the Iran sanctions point, and I think he also had the stronger position on North Korea. As Newsweek editor Zakaria said on ABC, who knew we would be watching a series of exchanges on bilateral vs. multilateral talks with North Korea tonight?