Whistle-stop (or slow)

Well, stop may be a generous way to describe it. More details on the Kerry-Edwards "whistle-slowdown" tonight in Lawrence. The real main event is in K.C. Mo., where the Democratic team is announcing their energy proposal in yet another swing-state appearance.

Today's Kansas City Star has an analysis on why Taff-Kobach ended up being so close. Basically, the Star's Brad Cooper argues that Kobach took a more aggressive stance toward Taff than Taff did against incumbent Dennis Moore in 2002, using tried-and-true social wedge issues to knock Taff off-stride as the "incumbent" GOP nominee.

"The Kobach campaign made no secret of its strategy of going after Taff, setting the agenda and forcing Taff to talk about same-sex marriage, immigration and abortion, volatile issues that would help electrify a conservative base," Cooper writes.

Even national media are getting in on the act, with a National Review piece on "Landslide" Kobach. Author Deroy Murdoch, who has known Kobach for 20 years, writes that if Kobach survives the primary and beats Moore, "free-marketeers can expect to see someone hardcore, whip smart, young, handsome, and tough on Capitol Hill."

"Hardcore" Kobach. Huh.

Meanwhile, the provisional ballot process continues. Given the divisive campaign and zillions of ways to count or not-count votes, expect some sort of legal ramifications coming out of this.

And hey -- if you're bored today, check out this clip from The Daily Show. It's the would've been, coulda been, shoulda been clip on convention journalists. I didn't make the cut.