Well, now we’re off to the races. After weeks of watching Democrats steal the headlines &045; even after his own State of the Union and a rare Sunday morning TV appearance &045; President Bush elbowed his way into the presidential race Monday night with a speech to Republican governors that took the offensive on several issues, from the war on terrorism to the size of government.

Bush’s offensive move came a day after Democratic spoilsport Ralph Nader announced his bid for the White House, a largely ceremonial gesture, albeit one Democrats fear since some blame Nader for Al Gore’s narrow loss in 2000.

&uot;It’s going to be the year of the sharp elbow and the quick tongue,&uot; Bush told governors of both parties at the White House Monday as he described the tenor of the campaign.

If Monday’s back-and-forth served as any indication of that, all the better.

That’s because the barbs that were exchanged on Monday &045; while they were largely political rhetoric &045; stuck to issues voters care about: the tax cut, the deficit, the war in Iraq.

A few months ago, a win by Bush seemed all but inevitable. Now, with his poll numbers dipping, it seems we have a real race on our hands.

We hope that race continues to be one that elevates the level of public debate, rather than degrades the candidates involved in the campaigns.