I disagree, Basschick.

A hefty portion of Americans didn't watch tonight's debate. Their impression of the debate and who performed how will come from media coverage after it. From critics comments after it. From newscasters comments on it and the talking heads' assessments of it. And I really do think that most people will hear that it was Kerry that performed best in this debate and Bush that did poorly.

That'll contribute to a positive impression of Kerry and a negative one of Bush.

Further, tonight was Bush's chance to shine.

His debate negotiators fought hard to make foreign policy and national security the topics of the first debate. They knew more people would watch the first than any other. They knew most opinions would be swayed by this first debate than any other.

And they also knew that foreign policy and national security were Bush's strong points and where voters favored him most.

He had the advantage going in. He was positioned to really hurt Kerry here.

And he didn't.

Yes, the American public is extremely influenced by character attacks and rhetoric. But they can and will detect contrast when it's so plainly apparent before them, as it was in the case of this debate. This wasn't months and months of discrete inference, suggestion, stump speeches, media coverage and the like.

This was A and B. On a stage together. Up against one another. Contrast between the two as apparent as night and day.

And whether or not someone agrees that Kerry is a flip flopper is very different from whether or not it appears like Bush has nothing better to do than accuse Kerry of being a flip flopper. And it's the latter that came through tonight.