This election is so much like the 1980 election it isn't even funny.
Even though voters were sick of the Carter administration and the current state of affairs, Reagan was an unknown and unproven, so the polls were really close.
It wasn't until after Reagan proved himself in the debate that the polls started moving his way, and he ended up winning by a significant margin.
Tonight's debate I think sets the stage for the same thing. If Obama looks presidential and looks up to the job in the minds of voters, he'll pull ahead to something like a 10 point lead.
If Obama fumbles, then McCain will pull back to even in the polls and who knows what will happen then.
If Obama does really well and blows open a big lead in the polls, McCain's stunts and tactics up to this point will seem mild compared to what will come next. I'm afraid to even think about what he'll do to try and get back in the headlines.
Maybe kick Palin off the ticket in favor of someone else...maybe decide he's now in favor of tax increases because of the cost of the bailout plan and say that Obama is risking our financial future by promising middle class tax cuts after spending $1 trillion to bail out wall street.
I don't know what it'll be, but it's gonna be big.
That's my
of punditry on what the rest of the race will be like.