Atrios (3:16 P.M. entry today) notes that the allegedly impartial Howard Kurtz was on CNN today saying that all Arnold Schwarzenegger has to do in tonight's debate/open-book test is exceed low expectations.

That's just the latest of many gifts from the media to Schwarzie -- but if I'd been a Cali Democrat, I would have been saying for weeks that a debate in which the candidates get the questions in advance is ideal for Mr. S. -- in other words, I'd have been bumping up expectations for his performance. If I'd been Cruz Bustamante, I'd have been saying, "Well, you know, I'm not a Hollywood movie star, I don't memorize lines for a living. I expect him to be really, really smooth in that format." Then, if Schwarzie stumbles, or seems awkward in any way, he loses.

That's what the Bushies did to Gore. And it worked like a charm. Three times.

Then again, the "objective" Beltway press had a crush on Bush and despised Gore, and the "objective" press now has a deep, profound hankering for Bicep Man.