Edwards screwed that even more when asked why he should be a VP, given his inexperience. Instead of delivering a populist line of the American tradition of ordinary people becoming political leaders (cf. Lincoln) and then following that "experience" did not prevent Cheney from shortchanging people for wealthy corporations - he mumbled a non-remarkable non-answer. This was probably the most disappointing moment in the whole debate.
I think, however, that Kerry did reasonably well in the debates. What did him in was the promise of reversing the tax cut for the $200k income bracket. That must have scared the living shit out of all software engineers, two-bit entrepreneurs, and kindred professionals who either already rake in more than 200 grand a year or hope to do so in the future. Bad mistake. He should have been more vague on this point.
Wojtek