noted

An Annenberg survey shows that a majority of American voters (most Democrats plus many independents) disapprove of the Bush campaign using imagery from 9-11. This is a major blow for the Bush strategy.

Three more disasters for Bush last week and over the weekend: Kerry exposed the so-called "manufacturing czar" as an industrialist who had exported jobs to China (more or less) even before the appointment was made public, and it was then quickly withdrawn; more evidence that the Bushies cooked the books on Medicare; and the post-terrorist attack election in Spain which swept the pro-Bush government out of office and installed the socialist party, which will withdraw Spain from the Iraq occupation.

One Kerry problem developed: after he'd adroitly handled his Bushies are liars and crooks comment made privately but while still partly miked (he refused to apologize, and Bushies have to shy away from repeating liars and crooks when so many stories are appearing that cast them in exactly that light) an old assertion resurfaced, that some foreign leaders told him privately that they are hoping Bush is replaced. Bushies say tell us who they are (which obviously he can't, as these were private and presumably confidential conversations) and when he doesn't they are outright suggesting he's lying. It's a neat double-bind, and Kerry probably shouldn't have said it, but then the new leader of the Spanish government said in public that he hopes Kerry wins. That's not a trend the Bushies would like to see expand, so continuing to keep this issue alilve could be very risky.