McCain;s Speech, The Cliff's Notes Version:

"Change Change Fight Change Fight Fight Change Fight Fight Fight Change Change Change POW Fight Change FIght FIght Fight Change God Bless America."

McCain's big speech opportunity was, according to many pundits, a blown opportunity to reach out to undecided voters. He said he would change Washington. He just didn't say what he would change, or how. I predict a 2 point bounce, at best, for McCain. in fact, I would bet an equal amount that he drops 2 points once his speech is factored in.

President Palin is doing for the Democrats what Hillary Clinton would have done for the Republicans: raise great gushing gouts of money. Remember, McCain gets to spend a total of $85 million on his campaign. The response to President Palin's speech garnered approximately $10 million just yesterday. At that rate, Obama will match McCain's money before President Palin comes back next week from Alaska for her campaign training, and to see off her son before he goes to Iraq. ( oops, I forgot, I'm supposed to ignore her family. Sorry.)

CNN and the Obama campaign discuss President Palin's problems with veracity in her speech. Go to The Jed Report for the CNN version, and the Obama Campaign report can be found here:

http://www.jedreport.com/2008/09/fact-checking-the-bridge-to-no.html

According to Electoral-Vote.com, Obama is up 3 points in North Dakota. North Freaking Dakota. He is behind McCain in Indiana by 3 points, pretty much the margin of error. Bush won Indiana by 21 points in 2004, and something like 16 in 2000. If McCain has to campaign in Indiana...Peggy Noonan is right, despite her convoluted explanation that she didn't say what we heard her say: It's Over. The Adipose Diva is a long way from doing her vocal warmups, but she will indeed break forth in a swan song for the McCain-Palin ticket.

Off to work...