I agree ..but he didnt..He let a LOT slide by him ..What gives? He could have SLAMMED HIM Is he trying to be a NICE guy here ? He should have slammed the uN as the do nothing waste of space it is the SECOND Kerry mentioned the UN ..I had to leave the room 3 times tonight ..
Even if he in lying in wait for the other debates, he has NO business being uncertain of himself in front of the nation. He should be above all this, and instead sounded like he was disconnnected and couldn't express himself.
Answer to your question:
Yes, he is trying to be a nice guy. Remember that the debates are more about style than substance. Nixon won on radio, JFK on tv, and Bush will win this election if J F'in K looks like he is, a horse's ass, and Bush looks like he is, plain folks.
If Bush blasts Kerry women don't like it. And this is the demographic that will electorally put Kerry away.
I hate to watch the prevent defense, but politics ain't football. While we don't want Bush to turn into Dewey, and take it easy, we also can't have him turning into a firebrand rabid-anti-Kerry-ite. That would turn off more voters than it drives to the polls.
Let Kerry slap Bush around in this debate. The next two are far more important. If Bush cleans JFinK's clock in the last one, or even is perceived as doing better than JFinK, barring surprises, he's gonna be the favorite.
Would help if gas were cheaper, though.
"He could have SLAMMED HIM. Is he trying to be a NICE guy here ?"
I think perhaps he was. Let Kerry say all of the attack stuff in the debates. Have Bush come off as being "on track on the fight against terrorism". Responding to all of the minor facts of Kerry's attacks, lies and mistakes can look as being on the defensive as well. Just stay on message.
Also - some of the things Bush feels may not go over well in a debate setting (like telling the U.N. to shove it). Especially when Bush is showing how Kerry is pissing off our allies, and not the type of person who will inspire confidence with other nations.