Lieberman's optimism: I noticed after the debate last week, as Lieberman made his way around the interview circuit, that he was remarkably positive for a guy who was polling in high single digits. He did well in the debate, but there was nothing to make him think he'd just pulled out a late inning dinger. And every time his polling numbers were brought up, he'd smile and chuckle before mentioning how many undecideds were still out there. He sounded like he knew the jig was up, but the band was going to play out the set as a formality. Maybe he's gotten better news since then, maybe not, but the pollsters haven't caught any of it. They're still talking about Edwards as the one who may bounce in voting booth (surprisingly large crowds considering he didn't campaign much in the Northeast).

If Joe is out after today, he will be missed. The only one willing to buck the left wing of the party on Iraq, he would have made an interesting candidate since the issue would have been largely neutralized in the campaign. Good luck to him today.