His comment about the "unilaterl sanctions" the Bush administration has placed on Iran caused me to chuckle. Those sanctions date back to 1979 and the Carter administration.
Nuclear fuel...Iran? Well it CERTAINLY worked in North Korea! /SARC Wonder if he'll bring Maddie back too help?
Kerry also made a statement that we lost U.N. cooperation in Iraq because we failed to turn Iraqi sovereignty over to the United Nations soon after winning the war. I can't imagine the American people would support turning Iraq over to the U.N.
I agree that is one of his most outrageous statements and I think it shocked many of us who pay attention to this stuff. However, I wonder how it plays with the average person watching who may not be aware of the history with North Korea?
Another key point that will get some MSM exposure - certainly on Fox, is that on the one hand kerry says it's the wrong war at the wrong time, etc and that he will get our troops out ASAP -
yet on the other hand kerry claims that he will somehow "jaw-bone" the french "surrender monkeys" and the (pot-smoking) germans to jump in and somehow save us fromm ourselves???!!
The firm declaration that he will open bilateral talks with North Korea is madness.
I'm flabbergaster that he would turn his back on our hardwon multilateral talks that include China.
I rode the subways during the RNC and I don't remember them being shut down as Kerry stated. That was another weird comment out of him.
I by and large agree with you. Of course, the media needs to draw viewers in so they analyze these debates to within an inch of their lives. Really, a debate has not mattered a bit in an election for sometime. Why?? Simple, both candidates follow the "do no harm" approach.
The MSM is acting like Bush had to defeat Kerry tonight. In order to do that, one must be on offense. But, the nature of the issues and the questions pretaining thereto required Bush to play defense. He do so magnificently without sounding defensive. By the same token, Kerry came off as polished and, well, as himself.
One key stat to get a hold of is whether the ratings dropped during the debate. In other words, did the people really watch the entire thing? I tuned out after the first 30 minutes and honestly, those were not the best minutes of the debate for Kerry.
In the end, Kerry stands where he has always stood on Iraq etc., nowhere, leaning to anti-war. Bush stands where he stands. The voters have already mAade up their minds which position is better.
Now, its on to the next joint press conference.
P.S. Bush is not a good debater. Ergo, I don't know why anyone at FOX was expecting him deliver a "knock out blow." The only reason Bush seemingly won the debates against Gore was that Gore was supposed to have "wiped the floor" with Bush. Because Bush held his own, i.e. met lowered expectations, victory was declared.
Kerry has an excellent idea. We could give nuclear weapons and a delivery system to the Iranians. If they misuse them we will know that they cannot be trusted. Why didn't I think of that?
Oddly, when it comes to North Korea, we must engage in "bilateral talks". (1) That's only 'talk'. (2) That's going it alone with N. Korea -- without allies, without the UN, without anybody in the area that cares. Huh?
The more I think about Kerry saying the only time he would use preemptive force to defend the US, was if it passed some sort of Global test-the more I realize he made a huge gaffe .
And of course, arming the mullahs with nukes.
Great summary of Kerry's absolutely mad ideas.
At some points, he sounded as if he were campaigning for Saddam Hussein and the terrorists!
I agree that Kerry's comment concerning Iran and nuclear fuel was very troubling. You may as well give a paroled felon a gun and hope he only uses it for home defense.
The one that confirmed most people's worst fears was the bizzare 'global test' comment. Bush smacked that one out of the park when he replied that America's security was the only test.
No doubt Kerry's comments will be glossed over by the MSM. They rival Kucinich's ridiculous Department of Peace proposal.
Kerry said that WMD are brought across the border every day. What an odd statement.
He continually vacillated between saying the war in Iraq was a mistake and he will "win this thing." How can any American have confidence in his resolve to "win this thing" that he so fervently believes to be a mistake? How can anyone expect him to be successful in bringing more allies onboard for what he considers a mistake?
Bump
"There's only 25 percent of the people in there. They can't have an election right now."
This is the only articulation of a 'plan' on Iraq, and I have no idea what that meant.
While short term the debate seem even..no big punches the long run after geting looked over it going to break down far better for Bush along with better quotes & sound bites
Bush also needed to get across the message that Saddam was harboring terrorist and sponsoring terrorism and that taking him our was more vital to the war on terror than Osama bin Laden.
He isn't doing it. So we need to do it.
Here is an easy to read chart of what the media was saying pre-911 (and after): Connect the Dots...Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Send it to your family and friends, post it on your blogs, send to the media.
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Move over Imus. Kerry is the new "I-man." My guess is he said the word "I" at least 550 times. Kind of high on himself, don't you think?
Can anyone clarify for me my favorite quote of the night? Kerry ended the "character" question with a statement that was either "Conviction can get you in trouble" or "Consistency can get you in trouble." Does anyone know the exact quote. Whatever it was, it sums up Kerry perfectly!!!