Posted on 09/30/2004 11:27:28 PM PDT by goldstategop
After watching that pitiful excuse for a debate last night, all I can say is, "Thank God for the Swift Boat vets."
Why?
Because without them and the persuasive case they have made against John Kerry for president, I am quite certain he would still be the leading candidate for president today.
The debate last night focused on foreign policy and national security issues – President Bush's strength, we're told by the pollsters. It should also be Kerry's weakness, given his vacillation on the war on Iraq and his own record of turning on American troops in Vietnam.
But that's not the way I saw it.
I tried to view the debate through the eyes of an undecided voter. And what I saw was at best a standoff. Kerry was on the offensive all night. Bush was on the defensive.
During the debate, Bush said the best way to fight the war on terrorism was to remain on offense. I agree. But I wonder why he doesn't understand the principle holds true in winning a debate, too.
There was plenty of heat, but not much light.
How much more interesting it might have been had the debate been opened up to include minor-party and independent candidates for president.
It is a national scandal that the Democrats and Republicans have been permitted to maintain a monopoly on political debate in this country. It's not healthy. It's a scandal. It so often represents a choice between bad and worse.
I was genuinely disturbed by watching that spectacle.
I heard nothing I hadn't heard before from either candidate.
The format was a joke, too. Jim Lehrer's questions were mundane, routine and predictable.
Not one question about illegal immigration – a national security crisis so severe even Time magazine recently discovered it.
Not one question about the United States continuing financial and diplomatic support for terrorists in the Palestinian Authority.
Not even one obvious question about the massive intelligence breakdown in this country that led to Sept. 11.
Pitiful. Pathetic. Predictable.
What we heard, as a result, were mere platitudes: "I can do better."
If America is to remain a free and open republic, how can we allow our political process to be rigged and closed? How can we allow the level of debate to deteriorate to such a point?
My only hope for this race now is that Bush opens up a lead so substantial that independent thinkers are freed up to vote their conscience – to break away from the dualistic thinking that dominates the American political process.
It's time to build viable third, fourth and fifth parties – to give us real choices, to ask tougher questions, to put new ideas on the national agenda.
I'm sure Bush would like to see such a lead open up, too. Yet, he didn't help himself much last night. He didn't make a strong case for another four years. And he didn't do much to persuade the American people that his opponent is a clear and present danger to our national security – which he is.
Am I disappointed?
Well, as one who has seen a few presidential debates in my life – Kennedy-Nixon, Carter-Ford, Reagan-Carter, Reagan-Mondale and more – this one is forgettable by comparison.
No wonder tens of millions have stopped watching debates – just since 1992. No wonder fewer people are bothering to vote. No wonder fewer people are paying attention to the way their country is governed.
But apathy is not the answer. It's time for Americans to renew the idea of self-government. In case you've forgotten, it means governing our own lives. It means taking responsibility for our own families, our own neighborhoods, our own communities. It means not waiting for some messiah of a presidential candidate to come along to save us.
"Third, fourth, and fifth parties ..."
Yeah, that's the ticket, Joe. Makes sense to me ...
If Joe is honest with himself he will apologize for this article in a few days, Bush creamed Kerry hands down without giving the media a huge mistake for Kerry soundbites. The questions were baited to tick Bush off and he didn't bite.
"3rd, 4th, 5th political parties...." -- Joseph Farah
Yeah!
That's the ticket!
It has worked so well in the past!
Ross Perot!
TR's "Bullmoose Party"
Italy, France, and Germany are east of here Joe.
Lotsa parties there!
Planes are leaving every hour!
Write!
I agree with the assessment that the format/moderator were pathetic. We didn't need most of thet 90 minutes of debate over Iraq with only a small amount on Korea, Iran and Russia and yes, BOTH should have been questioned hard on illegal immigration. IMO a school child could have written the questions Leher asked tonight... POTUS probably was bored with repetitive questions all aimed at criticism of him after about 10 minutes into the debate.
"Joseph Farah isn't voting for Bush anyway. I couldn't care less what Joseph Farah had to say about Bush or the Swifties. He has no use for Bush. Joseph isn't even a Conservative"
Amen
Given Farah's track record, no doubt he will.
My wife agrees,I could have beat Skerry easily.
Joseph Farah is never happy.
Thank God, he's insignificant and predictable.
Like Howlin wrote "let's pretend Farah likes Bush."
For being a ex fighter pilot, I am surprised Bush does not think better on his feet.
I wish just once during a debate that Dubya would make a statement something like:
"Parents and grandparents of America think about this, if we do not take the war to the enemy on his turf and win with malice, we will experience the same brutal, senseless, inhuman and savage murders that Russia recently experienced. Hundreds of school children were slaughtered in one attack. On September 30th, savages murdered 35 Iraqi school children."
"Do you want this to happen in your town? At your neighborhood school? To your children or grandchildren?"
"Elect John Kerry, he will bring the troops home and following shortly behind them will be harbringers of this kind of brutality."
"And what about a beheading or two in St. Louis, New Orleans, New York, Waco or Buffalo!" "Your cousin, boss, best friend, husband or father?"
All one needs to do to realize what kind of putrid animals we are up against is watch a beheading. I, now with regret, watched one last week and never in my most horifying nightmare could imagine a human being doing that to another. But on the other hand, these scum bags are not human beings.
Sorry for my rant, I am just PO'd.
BTT
I think he's voting for Badnarik, just to pi$$ in everyone's Wheaties.
Just for the record: you're an idiot.
Those are what we call disruptors.
Next time, I am going to demand they leave the thread and read it the next day - they clogged it up because of their need for attention and reassurance, and the thread was less fun because of it.
Well, I guess that's tough.
Americans made the choices, and his temper tantrums don't add anything to the political landscape.
The problem with your idea is that if the execution goes the slightest bit sour, it makes Bush look like a grandstanding jackass trying to make political hay off of tragedy...and he knows he's not good enough to execute it perfectly.
However, Kerry is going to regret some of his talking points.
Kerry saying "Let's give nuclear fuel to Iran" makes a great soundbite for a GOP commercial.
Joe got his spanked bad by American Thinker this week regarding the Abu Ghraib photos that fell into the hands of Col. Hackworth and then CBS. He might still be stinging by it.
"During the debate, Bush said the best way to fight the war on terrorism was to remain on offense. I agree. But I wonder why he doesn't understand the principle holds true in winning a debate, too. "
I have to agree on this. Bush needs to get tough with Lurch. Lurch walked all over him.
_________________
Uh huh. A swing voter. Somebody who doesn't follow politics 3 hours a day who is just now making up their mind on who to vote for.
There are millions of people like your grandmother out there who still haven't made up their minds on who will get their votes. And if you don't think Bush needs all those grandmas out there just like her who are just now finally deciding who to vote for, then I've got a bridge to sell you in Fallujah.
???? I missed this one...what happended?
Leher is a hard core Demoncrap and his questions were mostly geared to help Kerry.
I don't see Kerry as this super stud debater. He was just responding (using lies) to the questions and Bush took the high road to an extreme and got kicked in the rear. Bush has got to show the same resolve he has in fighter terror as Kerry is showing in trying to unseat him. Bush needs to view Kerry as a terrorist otherwise he isn't looking consistent with his talk.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.