Lifestyle > Train of Thought
What did you think of the debate?
Entreri117:
I watched the whole thing, and I was impressed by both sides.
I am a Bush supporter, but Kerry did make some interesting points.
In the beginning of the debate, it was Bush who was strong, but Kerry had a much stronger finish than Bush.
ZILLA THA GOODFELLA:
I was out n about cuzz tha homies had it on laughin n shit.....but 1 thing that sticks out in my mind was when Kerry was like he wants to double the armed forces n all that....but then Bush at the end said the Army will still be a voluntary thing if I get elected....does this mean anything regarding the draft on Kerry's side or am I trippin?
Kerry definitely won though.....
BUSH WAS STUTTERIN......STUTTA STUTTA !!!!!
white Boy:
John Baer | 1st round goes to W.
Kerry needed a knockout, and he didn't get it
HILLARY won.
Or one of the Johns. You know, McCain or Edwards.
Or anybody else seriously looking to run in '08 after George W. Bush serves out his second term.
That's because John Kerry, who had to score a knockout last night, landed some punches but didn't take the title.
Yeah, he looked a little tougher than when he's windsurfing off Nantucket in spandex.
And, OK, he had a good line about how it's one thing to always be "certain" but one can, after all, be certain and wrong.
And he even seemed somewhat directed and focused.
But this debate, critical if not determinative to the outcome of the election, did not take Kerry where he needs to be.
Instead, the champ at staying on message is still the undisputed George W. Bush.
How so?
Because of one moment that defined the debate and the race.
When debate moderator Jim Lehrer asked Bush if there are "character issues" that maybe should keep Kerry from being president, Bush showed he's a consummate politician.
He first did some aw-shucks plain-speak. "Whew, that's a loaded question."
See, he's just folks.
Then he graciously praised Kerry's service to country and family, calling him "a great dad," and even praised his service in the Senate.
It was Bush being the nice guy, the guy people like. Brilliant.
Then he hit Kerry with the message of the night, indeed the campaign:
"He changes positions."
It was the pat on the back before slipping in the shiv.
It fit perfectly with his performance throughout the 90-minute encounter.
Bush over and over tagged Kerry for changing his position on Iraq and said several times one can't lead if you say, as Kerry has, it's "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Ah repetition. The mother's milk of campaign victories.
Plus Bush looked the part: aggressive, firm, strong.
From the moment he stalked across the stage (first one out of the wings) to Kerry's podium to shake his hand, to his tight-lipped PO'd look caught on camera as Kerry sniped at him, as opposed to Kerry's smiling and nodding as Bush swiped at him.
(Don't you think they should have traded ties? Kerry wore red, Bush blue, but their states are just the opposite colors.)
When Kerry got to answer the "character" question, he floated off on something about stem-cell research and global warming (the debate topic was foreign policy and homeland security).
And the fact Kerry spoke to Lehrer and not to me and not to voters and seemed more intent on showing how much he knows rather than how much he cares? I just think that's a killer.
Bush worked the camera and Lehrer with a nice mix of eye contact and practiced talking points.
He used his occasional 30-second extensions, a debate rule allowing for continued discussion of a single question, to answer every charge Kerry made.
Kerry, at least once, tried to do the same and couldn't even get Lehrer's attention.
Mostly Bush very much stayed the course.
The war is hard work, which he said, I don't know, a dozen times, but we're going to win. Saddam was a threat. America's safer.
"We're going to win this war in Iraq."
Kerry, when he finally looked into the camera for his closing remarks, said, "I believe America's best days are ahead of us."
For me, stuff like "whew, that's a loaded question" works much better.
white Boy:
Gar Joseph | BEST & WORST IN DEBATE
clout@phillynews.com
NAPOLEON WAS once asked what qualities he looked for in choosing his generals.
"Luck," he replied. "I want generals who are lucky."
The Democrats' general, John "Reporting for duty" Kerry, needed to get lucky last night. And we don't mean with Teresa.
It didn't happen. President Bush made no gaffes to allow Kerry a clear triumph in their first debate. But Kerry spoke with enough clarity on Iraq and the war on terror that the Republicans may have to put their flip-flops away.
In case you were washing your hair and missed it, here's Clout's review of the debate.
Bush message
You can't win the war on terror if you send mixed messages. You have to show certainty and strength. Kerry doesn't. I do.
Kerry message
I'll hunt down and kill terrorists. But you have to be smart. Diverting troops from going after Osama bin Ladento invade Iraq was not smart. It was a "colossal error of judgment."
Bush's best moment
Two, really. One when he spoke of consoling Missy Johnson, the widow of a soldier killed in Iraq. The other when he praised Kerry's military service and the kindness of Kerry's daughters to his daughters. Bush makes his strongest connections with voters when he speaks of emotional, human moments.
Kerry's best moment
His closing: "Let me look you in the eye and say to you: I defended this country as a young man at war, and I will defend it as president of the United States...I have a plan for Iraq. I believe we can be successful. I'm not talking about leaving. I'm talking about winning. And we need a fresh start, a new credibility, a president who can bring allies to our side."
Bush's best attack line
"I don't see how you can lead this country to succeed in Iraq if you say wrong war, wrong time, wrong place. What message does that send our troops? What message does that send to our allies? What message does that send the Iraqis?"
Kerry's best attack line
"I agree with the comment made by the former terrorism czar [Richard Clarke]: Invading Iraq in response to 9/11 is like FDR invading Mexico in response to Pearl Harbor."
Smartest thing Bush said
"The military will be an all-volunteer Army." This should help quell the draft fears that might otherwise drive the usually moribund 18- to 25-year-old vote to the polls to cast ballots against Bush.
Smartest thing Kerry said
The U.S. can't stop nuclear proliferation as long as it's trying to develop a new set of nuclear weapons. Kerry said he'd halt the program.
Bush's worst moment
Several times the camera caught him grimacing and smirking as Kerry spoke. As Al "Deep Sighs" Gore learned in 2000, such body language alienates voters.
Kerry's worst moment
Throwing the words of President George H.W. Bush in the face of his son, by quoting from Bush the elder's book on why he decided against invading Iraq in Desert Storm. Cheap shot.
Oddest pronunciation
Referring to the leaders of Iran, Bush called the mullahs "moo-las."
Woodrow:
Bush is my choice for president, there's no doubt about that.
Thing is, He lost the debate. It doesn't take much to see that. Bush came with good points, but Kerry countered and looked much better. Sure he contradicted himself a bunch (past votes and comments), but as far as the debating goes, he won. He's a veteran debater and he did a really good job. I could find 100 op-ed articles saying bush won, and I could find 100 articles saying Kerry won.
I think Bush needs to realize he didn't do as good as he could have, and step his game up for the next debate. If he comes off thinking he won, bad things could happen in the next 2 debates.
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