Old Man River

Kerry has come back in a big way in New Jersey polls. Weird. I say that because this comes right after a big Bush speech in south Jersey where he really tore into Kerry. Maybe that backfired.

In other good news for Kerry, Clinton's going to appear with him in Pennsylvania. If Clinton really wants to tip the election -- and if he's feeling healthy enough -- he should start a tour of the states immediately east of the Mississippi.

He could start in Louisiana, a historically Democratic state leaning toward Bush, then go up to his home state of Arkansas, where Kerry has lucked into a statistical tie despite almost no campaigning. Then it's on to Missouri, which will probably go Bush, and the crucial swing states of Iowa and Minnesota.

If he wants to make it really fun, he'll make the rounds in a big steamboat, chugging straight up the Mississippi.