As we mentioned earlier, the winner of a presidential debate is not necessarily the candidate that wins on technical merits. It's all about expectations, which makes these recent comments very relevant:
Kerry on Bush: "The president has won every debate he's ever had. He beat Ann Richards. He beat Al Gore. So, he's a good debater." (Chicago Tribune)
Bush on Kerry: "He is an excellent debater. He obviously knows his subject matters." (USA Today)