CNN: Kerry "easily beating President Bush in the third and final debate"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Apparently, grinning like an idiot for 90 minutes will go down in the history books as a less-than-effective political debate strategy.



TEMPE, Arizona (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry appeared to gain more momentum heading toward November 2, easily beating President Bush in the third and final debate, a poll taken late Wednesday night suggests.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup snap poll taken immediately after the presidential debate found that respondents gave a significant edge to Kerry over Bush, 52 percent to 39 percent. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

The numbers were similar to the results of a poll taken the night of the first debate September 30 in Miami, Florida. That night Kerry was favored by a 53 percent to 37 percent margin.

The respondents Wednesday were 511 registered voters who watched the debate. Their political affiliations broke down as 36 percent Republican, 36 percent Democratic and 28 percent independent.

[Cha]

1. Wow! A poll with an equal amout of

of Dems and repukes.

That's a great smile that Kerry has.

And ..if the bushers thought Debates #1 and #2 were so won by bush ..why did they make him over completely for #3?

[MallRat]

2. 36% polled were Republicans, and only 37% thought Bush won.

Even without seeing the party-by-party affiliation votes, it's pretty clear: independents broke Kerry's way. BIGTIME.

Hope we see the same thing on November 2nd.

-MR

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

3. Interesting Poll Numbers Coming...

I'm sure most of the major organizations will be polling over the weekend. Come Monday, we should get a good picture as to how things stand.

I went to the LA Times interactive http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/election-test-fl,0,1851284.flash ">Electoral Map (which is really cool, BTW) and its starting to look as though this election could be wrapped up. When you start tallying the states where Kerry is leading, it gets down to one or maybe two more battlegrounds tipping our way.

Work like hell, people. Nineteen Days!