The post-debate "debate" seems to conclude that this debate was a tie between Bush and Kerry with some commentators saying that Kerry perhaps had a slight edge. I know a lot of commentators are talking about Bush exceeding everyone's diminished expectations, but I think Kerry is still doing a good job debunking a lot of media myths about him (like long-winded, too wonky, too French, etc.).

One point that needed verification after the debate was Kerry's comment that Bush is a part-owner of a lumber company. Apparently according to factcheck.org, he is. Daily Kos has some details including a follow-up on an MSNBC article "scoring" the debate.

My thinking is that this lumber comment isn't going to help Kerry and it could help Bush. Most of the 62 million people who watched the debate saw Bush make a joke about the whole affair. I think that's what most debate watchers are going to remember -- Bush was personable during that moment in the debate. For the rest of the country that relies on media coverage of the debate, the fact that Bush ventured a joke on an $84 investment that turned out to be true will probably remove this point from play in most circles.