Gossip!

Here's something we're bound to hear more about in the future.

A photograph that flew around the Internet this week shows a boxy bulge in the back of President Bush's suit coat during the first debate, leading to widespread cyber-speculation that he was wired to receive help with his answers.

I doubt this was a prompting device. For one, I doubt the Bush team would implant it on his back where it's visible when there are so many other better places to put it. Secondly, Bush did poorly in the first debate. If Carl Rove was feeding him answers, would Bush really repeat himself so much and miss so many good opportunities? Salon suggests that some of Bush's untimely long pauses could be accounted for by listening to a prompter. I don't know. But I do know the bloggers will be all over this one.

Originally published 10/9/04