Bounce or dribble?

With polls giving John Kerry the edge in Florida and other crucial states, the GOP needs a big convention bounce next week. The economy and homeland security will receive great attention, social issues little—and questions about Sen. Kerry's honesty lurk in the background | Bob Jones

As key battleground states tip to the Democrats, Washington's liberal pundits now believe the election is John Kerry's to lose. But at next week's GOP convention, George W. Bush may have one last chance for a quick bounce to put him back on top.

It won't be easy: The president has to reassure the right, motivate the middle, promote the economy, and plead for the war effort—all while casting doubt on his popular opponent.

With thousands of core Republicans gathering in New York next week, President Bush's speech on Sept. 2 could be dismissed as mere preaching to a very large choir. Still, it promises to be a crucially important sermon—and visiting evangelists will have a low profile, if any at all. Previous GOP conventions have often put in the spotlight a prominent minister or evangelist, but none of the nearly 30 speakers announced by the GOP by Aug. 19 is in that category.