I can hardly wait... 
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Posted on 09/04/2004 8:36:31 AM PDT by Libloather
Three crucial debates loom large
By Andrew Miga
Thursday, September 2, 2004
NEW YORK - Next stop, the presidential debate stage.
With the two-month battle to Election Day in full roar, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are looking ahead to their three planned debate showdowns - events that both sides say could prove pivotal in the razor-close race.
The first prime-time encounter later this month will be a good opportunity for both men to win over undecided voters who hold the key to victory in 2004.
``Many of these undecided swing voters in the middle are not going to make up their mind who they're going to vote for,'' said Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe. ``They want to see the three presidential debates.''
With both major party conventions over, the focus turns to the debates scheduled over a two-week stretch beginning Sept. 30 at the University of Miami.
The second debate is set for Oct. 8 in St. Louis, followed by another on Oct. 13 in Tempe, Ariz. A vice presidential debate is scheduled for Oct. 5 in Cleveland.
``We're just getting ready to start the great debate on the debates,'' said Bush adviser Karen Hughes, adding the campaign has done ``a little bit'' of debate prep already.
Longtime Bush family friend and former secretary of state James A. Baker will head up Bush's debate negotiating team. The details are still being hammered out.
Kerry enjoys a reputation as a skilled and aggressive debater, largely due to his six widely acclaimed televised encounters with 1996 Senate challenger William F. Weld, the former Massachusetts governor.
``I landed some pretty good punches on him and he came right back,'' Weld told an interviewer this week. ``So he can take a punch as well as dishing it out. And he'll be terrific in these debates.''
Bush is less polished and can appear shaky in unscripted situations, but he also has a personable demeanor that plays well in Middle America.
``What the president has to do . . . is to be himself. He's a very warm, likable guy. That comes across on television,'' Weld said.
I love the smell of smoldering Breck, at any time of the day...
Did you know Edward's dad was a meal worker?
What makes the media so sure there'll be three presidential debates?
Dunno. I just read something where one maybe dropped.
Bush has never lost a debate.
Kerry has shown that he can't take criticism. He is the only politician in my lifetime who has tried to get a book banned.
Is this what a Kerry presidency would look like? Yes.
"The second debate is set for Oct. 8 in St. Louis"
A slightly late birthday present for me. I'm trying to get a ticket. Wash U, one of my alma maters, is as liberal as it gets. You all may remember this is where Gore made his advance on GW when his back was turned and when he spotted him, he shrugged and smiled (my description does not do justice to his reaction). I thought to myself it looked like a bad idea to try to sneak up on or imtimidate the man.
cancel the debates... http://swift3.he.net/~swift3/medals.mov
This article does a nice job of increasing expectations for Kerry and reducing them for Bush. We all know that Bush will blow Kerry off the stage in these debates.
The Bush camp has not formally agreed to 3 debates, and since they are kicking butt and taking names right now, 3 debates are HIGHLY unlikely.
There are actually two books Hanoi Boy wants banned:
The New Soldier by John F'n Kerry
Unfit For Dogcatcher by Everyone who ever wore the Uniform
Agreed. There will be only two Presidential debates. Bush has no incentive to provide Kerry an additional opportunity to make up ground. Any new terrorist acts on U.S. soil between now and mid Oct. would probably cancel any debates.
What is the minimum debate number they must have.
w2004
ciao
kerry spitballs priceless
I suggest we not get too cocky. Kerry was on the Yale debating team. I can't wait til this election is oevr.
"This article does a nice job of increasing expectations for Kerry and reducing them for Bush."
Absolutely. Remember how in 2000 the great debater Gore was expected to chew W up and spit him out in little pieces. Kerry's last debate was eight years ago in liberal, one-party Massachusetts, where he had zero accountability.
Excellent news. Look for Kerry to appeal to the judges in Latin regarding Bush's use of illegal techniques. ! HA !
Bush looks great. Very strong and rugged. His voice is not great--too high a little affectless. It doesn't really do him justice.
But he will hammer Kerry. Bush is a little weak on TV but Kerry is positively hopelesss. Even though he's not a great speaker, it's hard to see how Bush can lose.
Bush's speechwriters will have a field day, too. Whereas Kerry's speechwriters will have to continue speaking out of both sides of their mouths. They need to present Kerry as a war-protesting peacenik to please his leftist constituency while at the same time presenting him to the rest of the audience as a war hero who will defend our country against terrorism. An impossible job.
The "debates" will skew hugely toward Bush. W's inherent decency and trustworthiness come through loud and clear to all but the 40% who would vote for any barnyard animal rather than Bush. Kerry may be an ex-college debater, but the debates are not about scoring points with the judges (like some kind of olympic boxing event). Kerry will no doubt try to show us how clever he is...all that will come across is his cockiness and desperation. Bush may fumble a few lines, that doesn't matter. The network pundits will try to make much of this, but they're only talking to the 40% crowd anyway. Simply seeing the two personas side by side will confirm the other 60% in the rightness of this man for this job at this time.
If Kerry's handlers were smart, they'd try to get the debates cancelled on some pretext. It's become increasingly clear that the single greatest obstacle to Kerry's election is Kerry himself. If they could only keep his snide puss off TV then maybe the election could turn on who comes up with the best slogans or who spends the most on TV spots. But Kerry always insists on having the last word and insists on reiterating his essential unlikeableness to all who will listen.
That moment you describe when Gore tried to get in Bush's space and be an alpha male to Bush's amused look and nod,,that was the day Bush won the election. I swear, it is so.
Kerry was on the Yale debating team/ Bush learned his stuff in Texas with roustabouts in the oil fields and with the Texas baseball team and finally the Texas legislature. My bet is all on Bush.
I can hardly wait...
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