I think that GW needed to be more agressive toward Kerry. This isn't the "kinder, gentler nation" of his dad's era. Tensions are high and so are the stakes.
Posted on 09/30/2004 9:27:18 PM PDT by Pokey78
Best Bush Statement: "How are you going to convince allies to send troops to a 'grand distraction'?"
Look at 6, 15 and 17. He gives these to Kerry. I think they fall on Bush's side of the ledger and here's why.
6) I think it is pretty clear what Bush's game plan is. He answered the question pretty direct. When the generals in the field (those there in Iraq, not someone sitting at home) tell him that the Iraqis are ready to take over for themselves the troops can start coming home. Makes sense and pretty much to the point in my book. Can you tell by Kerry's remarks (help is on the way).
15) I thought that Kerry lost this one more than Bush won it. When Kerry said mentioned the African Union sending in troops I said to my wife look how many of these countries are in the midst of their own civil wars. They aren't prepared to take on someone else's.
17) This one contains a Kerry flip-flop that one of the freepers noticed. Kerry kept hammering Bush about building alliances for Iraq but when it came time to deal with North Korea we should be in bilateral discussions with them. What happened to the alliance that Bush was working with in China, Russia, South Korea and Japan. Don't they have a stake in this issue. Also did Kerry really say something about selling nuclear fuel to Iran. Bush wins this one hands down.
On the recount Bush wins 12-6.
RUSH TO WAR????? I thought we spent several MONTHS trying to get france, germany and russia on board, then on resolutions at the useless nations. Darn near a year if memory serves!
Kerry looked as polished as he's ever going to look. Bush didn't, yet the debate was still a draw.
And there are those on here that are on suicide watch.
Sheesh.
Kerry was going to "win" this debate, no matter what happened according to the media and his supporters, who are always more vocal than conservatives.
The fact is that even if Kerry won this debate, it doesn't matter. Nobody is going to vote for Kerry because of the Iraq/national security issue due to what happened tonight. To the extent they will vote for him due to this issue, they were going to do that anyway.
Great, fast post of a dead on analysis. I might quibble about the score here and there, but in the final analysis it was a draw. No runs, no hits, no errors.
Kerry did manage to get on base by soothing his supportors. Good for him. Bush nailed the one key point he wanted to last past all the detailed analysis - people will remember that Kerry wobbles and he won't.
This is the time for substance to prevail..You're dealing with people's lives, that gets their attention.
Kerry won the debate. He also lied on numerous occasions. Bush needs to find a way to directly and succinctly make sure everyone knows that Kerry is disseminating (sic?) falsehoods and that it is a pattern of behavior with him.
I can't watch the president during these situations because public speaking is not his strong point.The debates could only help Kerry and hurt Bush in my opinion.I saw plenty of missed oppertunities by the president to make Kerry look stupid.I hope Bush looks over the tape of this debate and realizes that he uses one or two phrases too mant times.
This article is well reasoned, and probably fairly accurate. Kerry “won” the debate on style, because he managed to overcome his initial nervousness (which was all too apparent with his quavering voice and shaking hands), and managed to look pseudo-Presidential. Mr. Bush had the “moral clarity” thing down cold, but he kept going back to the “wrong war, wrong place, wrong time” comment too often, and let Kerry off the hook on issues like the NK nukes (didn’t Maddie Albright acknowledge that the NKs had snookered her?). Sadly, now Mr. Bush will have to face a “town hall” audience “salted” by the media with the spiritual heirs of the Pony Tail Guy, and a debate on “domestic” issues in which Kerry will be given every opportunity to drag out all the DNC class warfare rhetoric.
huh? There are a number of these "Rounds" where Last's decision to award them to Kerry is just mystifying based on his own descriptions of them.
Did Bush correct him on that ? I think Bush missed quite a few opportunities to put kerry away. VERY dissapointed tonight
Who did you support before the debate?
Who did you support after the debate?
If that changed, then someone "won." If not, then no one won.
That's the way I recall it, too. I keep wondering why we keep letting that lie stand.
Precisely. Kerry blew it on the nuke fuel thing.
Exactly my feelings..Bummed out here. Bush looked terrible tonight .
His analysis failed to include the closing statements. Bush far surpassed Kerry on this.
I agree, but was hoping for better delivery as well.
Then you don't know much about George Bush.
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