What Bush should have said.

neoperspectives.com ^ | 9/31/04 | me

[traviskicks]

The 1st Debate

Bush vs Kerry

9/30/04

I was a bit disappointed in the first debate. I am a strong supporter of President Bush, but felt that Kerry got the upper hand. Not because Kerry was right in any of what he said, but that President Bush didn't refute him in the most effective way. I constantly found myself mad because Bush just let things slide and didn't correct the many distortions that Kerry made. It seemed his advisors just focused on "don't screw up".

Bush seemed a bit nervous and uncertain and Kerry seemed smooth, knowledgeable, and articulate. I found Jim Lehrer to be very nonpartisan and fair. I was also surprised that the PBS panel that analyzed the debate afterwards seemed to tilt in favor of President Bush. I have never seen this happen before. Perhaps in the larger, more undecided, mainstream audience, Bush's presentation went over better than with a partisan like myself.

I was not surprised at what Kerry did or said, but I was surprised that Bush didn't refute him. These are a list of things I would have liked Bush to have said.

Bush: "Well Senator, I am surprised you are saying you want to build more alliances because we have (list 10 biggest nations) all contributing in Iraq. These nations understand the power of Freedom and understand Saddam was a threat."

continued...

[traviskicks]

I compiled a list of things I wish bush would have said. I didn't think he did so well... :(

[Chummy]

Sometimes ya gotta let that dogie run a bit afore you put the rope on its legs.

Or neck.

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

I agree I would have been much more sarcastic and pitbully myself. Probably why I'll never be president.

I think the Bush strategy is for Bush not to say anything stupid and let the facts about John Kerry come out later. The George W. Bush website has a devastating analysis of the debate. Kerry did tell some whoppers. A few days from now the focus will be on the whoppers.

[CandiM]

I agree--The President was off his game tonight--I do think he won on substance, but on "style".......delivery, if you will.......I just can't give him high marks--

Senator Kerry, OTOH, did right well for himself, at least when one considers that he had little or nothing of real merit to say--

This is round one--Guess we'll just have to see how numbers two and three go--C

[JoJo Gunn]

[ladyinred]

Ah, you didn't notice that none of the questions, written by the warden himself focused on Kerry's record on defense or anything at all. You didn't see the bias in all of the questions that clearly were meant to put Bush on the defensive through the entire debate?

[Xphantasos]

He should have told JF Qerry to use less lipstick...

[gubamyster]

When asked about Kerry's character, Bush mentioned how he did not agree w/ Kerry's Senate record. Bush should have also pointed out that Kerry was the most liberal Senator.

When Kerry said he wanted to cut the nuclear bunker busters, Bush should have lit into Kerry about his record of cutting defense systems & listed them all ala Zell Miller.

[whadizit]

"....Bush should have lit into Kerry..."

Sadly, I feel our President is being mishandled. His advisors should let go of the leash. He is so much better when he is not so overcoached.

Man, did you see Hannity trying to make like W hit a home run. You could see the disappointment in his eyes but he betrayed his emotions. Not one person could come away from that debate tonight and be enthusiastic about W's performance. Karen Hughes was the same way. It was sad.

[Polybius]

I compiled a list of things I wish bush would have said. I didn't think he did so well... :(

We on FreeRepublic spend so much time dissecting Kerry that it becomes second nature to us. Throw out a Kerry B.S. line and BAM, a Freeper can be on Kerry like a pitbull on a porkchop. Perhaps, a Freeper would have debated Kerry better.

However, President Bush spends his time being Commander-in-Chief paying attention to the World instead of paying attention to John Kerry's flip flops.

Maybe Bush was advised not to go for Kerry's jugular for "focus group reasons". Who knows.

All I know is that, when Bush would say that Kerry's flip flops "Send the wrong message to the troops, sends the wrong message America's allies and sends the wrong message the Iraqis", I would mentally scream "Why don't you say that it also sends a wrong message of weakness to America's enemies!"