The sun is gonna shine again

From Washington Dispatch: A Democracy Corps (D) poll indicates that Kerry tightened up the race with a 2% gain after the first debate. According to this Dem poll, Bush now leads 50%-48% - the lead was 50%-46% before the debate.

But President Bush’s job approval rating also rose slightly (to 52%) as did personal ratings, “has a plan for Iraq” and a “hopeful vision for the future.” Furthermore, the poll suggests that President Bush’s base is solid, and that Kerry’s rise comes primarily from energizing his enervated base:

So it appears that President George W. Bush has built a solid base of support, as there was no change in his numbers despite a poor showing on Thursday night. John Kerry spiked support among his slumbering base, but it was still not enough to overtake the president.

I think in the larger scheme, this is good news for Bush. With his own base secured, he can focus on the independents.