Left to his own devices, Bush took special delight in needling Al Gore over opportunities he says were lost in Washington over the past seven years. You had a chance on Medicare. You did not lead. When the crowd roared approval at this reprise of his most famous line from the Republican National Convention, Bush seemed to step away from himself to savor his performance. Dubya has finally hit his stride, and not a moment too soon.
Most polls say the race is too close to call.
My spirits are high. Even Democrats like pollster Geoff Garin admit Bush has been doing a lot of things right. He's on message. Republican pollster Ed Goeas says that Bush has held a double-digit lead among men for many months, while Gore's advantage among women, especially white married women, has wavered. He has already energized African-Americans and union members, which means he has less opportunity to mount a late surge with those voting blocs.