[MNJohnnie]

My take on the debates is that it was basically a draw, with perhaps minor lean to the D's. Edwards recited his talking points well, and they were aggressive and on point. Cheney was not as aggressive or forceful as he could have or should have been. He had some good hits, the meeting Edwards for the first time was funny...but he needed to land punches on Kerry not on Edwards. I think there were more than a few missed opportunities. I think he offered a valid defense of the administration, but did not stick to and push the administrations talking points.

You obviously had your mind made up before the debate. Why is it that so many on the right seem to mistake meas spirited nastiness as "staying on message" ?

All Edwards did was confirm the image on Sen Surrender and Gone as a pair of empty suits mugging for the camera and whining about the opposition. Nither Edwards, NOR Kerry, offered any sort of substantive alternative to Bush/Cheney. And the devastating gaffes Kerry made!! Nuke Fuel for the Mullahs? "Global Test" Bilateral talks!

Come ON quite pretending to be something you are not. If you think it "leans towards the dems" you are not even trying to be intellectually honest. This constant habit of certain Freepers to confuse hysteric critisim of their own side for "reasonablness" is just pathetic

[Fledermaus]

I've never read a more inconsitent post in my life. Do you even KNOW your own opinion newbie?

[hole_n_one]

When citing another posters words, you should really do something like italicize them to differentiate their comments from yours, lest everybody think it's you spewing that drivel.

[blanknoone]

I did not have my 'mind made up' before the debates...unless you mean that I had my mind made up that I wanted Cheney to slaughter Edwards. You brought up Kerry's gaffes...if you go look, I called that a win for the President. I thought Kerry won on style but made numerous gaffes that would come back to seriously hurt him far more than looking smooth would help. I think this one is a draw.

Edwards stuck to his talking points and drove them home as often and as hard as he could. He didn't make any big policy gaffes. I think Cheney offered a valid defense, but did not drive home his campaigns' themes. The post you responded to highlighted several that should have been hit harder.

The global test gaffe is a prime example. You and I know what it means. But to most 'undecideds' I think Edwards successfully clouded the issue and blew smoke. And Cheney didn't drive it home. He didn't talk about it being a french veto. When edwards talked about Kerry saying no foreign veto...Cheney didn't stick him with the flip flopping inside the same sentence.

In both debates I think the administration had the chance to land multiple knockout blows...and they didn't.