Josh Marshall is confused by two seemingly at-odds reports about the pace of post-Thanksgiving sales yesterday, as CNN reported what seems to be a stellar retail performance but CNN Business was a titch more downcast.

Marshall suggests it's a "disconnect."

Whatever. Wal-Mart says yesterday it sure did manage to "connect" with consumers:

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. reported record single-day sales for Friday, November 28, 2003, of more than $1.52 billion at the company's domestic Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets. This compares to the $1.43 billion recorded for the similar post Thanksgiving Day in 2002.

Top-selling categories were home electronics, small appliances and toys.