IMPRESSIONS OF THE GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE

If I had to pick a winner in last night's debate between Charlie Crist and Jim Davis, I would have to give the nod to Crist, but only by a nose. The Attorney General had better presentation, and seemed more confident in his remarks.

However, if you tuned in looking for anything of true substance, you would have been disappointed. Neither man focused on the questions being asked by moderator Ray Suarez of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. After spending about 15 seconds dealing blandly with the issue being discussed, both men reverted to their standard campaign script. Crist went repeatedly to the "empty chair" attack over Davis' attendance record in Congress, while Davis repeated the same line about his two sons in public schools and the lower SATs and teacher pay four or five times, even when education was not the topic being discussed.

While we didn't have to deal with the lousy panel asking questions as we did Monday night with the U.S. Senatorial candidates, I was disappointed with Mr. Suarez not asking Crist and Davis to remain on topic, which he could and should have.

The World Series game (which was still scoreless after three innings when the debate ended) probably provided more interesting substance. Too bad the Cardinals won; give them credit for some good pitching.