Scattershooting about on a Thursday morning...

--- Both John Kerry and George W. Bush were obviously well prepared for last night's third and final debate, but neither delivered what I would call a stinging or knockout punch. It was more like working not to lose than working to win. Both had plenty of numbers and info to present, but except for their closing statements they didn't actively seem to address Joe Voter in the hinterland. One specific example was the question where moderator Bob Schieffer asked Bush and Kerry what they would say specifically to a worker whose job had been eliminated due to outsourcing. Both men walked around the question, and neither answered exactly the way it was meant to be, as they were speaking to an individual citizen in that position.

Kerry came out clearer, more concise in his answers, and Bush brings along the same old stuff...

--- More touch screen problems, this time in Palm Beach County. The required dry "logic and accuracy" test run for the machines had to be postponed because excessive heat caused the server that tabulates data from the machines to crash. Maybe they could use some help from Norwood's Computer, which is owned/operated by fellow Tampa Bay blogger Blogwood.

--- Have you seen Katherine Harris' attack ads on Democratic opponent Jan Schneider? It's a laugh, putting herself in the same breath as "heroes" such as Rudy Guliani.

--- And, there goes the City of Lakeland's budget for today...Vice President Dick Cheney hits the stump here today, part of a swing through Florida which also includes Gainesville and Fort Myers. His appearance is at the Sun 'N Fun Pavillion at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, which is also the site of the annual Sun 'N Fun Fly In, one heckuva event if you've never been. You won't see many protesters, as he's scheduled to speak at approximately 4:00 PM (most folks have to work for a living), and he won't have to leave the airport grounds...so there's no motorcade.