I watched the debates with a six-person focus group the News (Maggie Haberman and I) had assembled for this very purpose. The most pro-Bush participant, a NYU college student who had volunteered at the RNC, said, “I’m going to go home and cry…” She said Bush had given a fiery speech at the convention, and was expecting more of that … instead, “Kerry was rattling off facts like a textbook … I was like, this was what Bush was supposed to to.”

I thought Kerry clearly won, showing a clear command of facts and seeming “presidential.” Bush tanked early — was he tired? — but eventually recovered. His best moment was complimenting Kerry on being a good dad and talking about their daughters.

There really was no knockout blow or crystalizing moment scored by Kerry — no one “you’re no JFK” line that made Bush look terrible, however, no matter how much he fumbled at times.

So maybe Kerry won, but did he win enough? Who knows…