Perhaps the election will come down to Kevin Rudd's bounce or Tony Abbott's more restrained solidity.
That seemed a reasonable inference from Sunday night's first leaders' debate in which the difference in style seemed as great as that of substance.
The prime minister was more animated, he gesticulated more and he was more idiomatic.
He used phrases like "a whole bunch of new challenges", "let's just level here", "hang on" and "what frightens the hell out of me" - which was what climate change may do to the Great Barrier Reef.
Abbott used more formal language. He rarely had both hands going at once. And when Rudd was talking he generally fixed his opponent with a gimlet stare.
While the debate ranged across all the big issues, it brought no surprises, which is not surprising. They are, after all, very experienced and carefully prepped politicians who aren't likely to put their foot in it.
In some respects they weren't very far apart.
Both heaped praise on the Australian people and both said change was necessary as great new challenges, mainly because of China, emerged.
Rudd spoke of the need for a "new way". Abbott's riposte was "if you want a new way, elect a new government."
The prime minister later elaborated. His new economy meant things like a revitalised manufacturing sector, booming agribusiness and a vibrant services industry.
Abbott shot back that Rudd had said exactly the same thing six years ago, which led to a brief wrangle over what Rudd had said and when.
There were familiar scares. Rudd gave the old Labor favourite - the Liberals will cut to the bone - an outing before warning that an Abbott government would raise the GST.
Abbott protested, promising (not for the first time) that he wouldn't and, in any case, he'd need the approval of every state and territory.
Rudd replied by asking, reasonably enough, why Abbott would include the GST in his promised tax review if he wasn't going to change it.
Abbott didn't answer that point. But he said the Australian people deserved better than a cheap scare campaign and the idea that the Coalition was ready with a scalpel was just plain wrong. Of course, complaining about a scare campaign can itself be a scare campaign.
Rudd's weakest moment probably came over a second Sydney Airport.
Abbott promised a decision during his first term. Rudd waffled about being a Queenslander and other capitals having airport problems and the Sydney decision would be left to his deputy, Anthony Albanese.
However Abbott was similarly unconvincing on boat people. He said his government would salvage what it would from the Papua New Guinea solution while repeating his old mantra of stopping the boats.
None of this, or differences over welfare, climate change or the NBN broke new ground.
But the debate did enable voters to see the contestants head to head under pressure and on this measure there wasn't much between them.
At the end they observed the niceties and shook hands, when Abbott's expressionless face changed to his piranha smile.
Well he might smile, for a draw was probably a good outcome for him.
