Posted on 10/01/2004 6:27:45 AM PDT by katdawg
Post-Debate Polls Favor Kerry
18 minutes ago
By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - President Bush (news - web sites) and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) rushed back to the campaign trail Friday to try to convince voters they had won their debate over foreign policy and to continue the argument over whether going to war in Iraq (news - web sites) had made the nation safer. Three post-debate polls suggested voters who watched the policy-driven confrontation Thursday night were impressed by Kerry, with most of those surveyed saying he did better than Bush.
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Reuters Slideshow: Presidential Debate
AP Campaign Video Roundup (AP Video)
Latest Headlines: · Post-Debate Polls Favor Kerry AP - 18 minutes ago
· World Tunes in for U.S. Debate AP - 55 minutes ago
· Web Sites Spoof Bush, Kerry With Parodies AP - 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
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Kerry's running mate, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), said Friday he told Kerry after the debate "I think people saw the next commander in chief," and he criticized Bush for failing to acknowledge problems in Iraq. "You can't fix a problem if you're not willing to admit that mistakes have been made and that you have a problem," he told ABC's "Good Morning America."
Bush, however, "felt great" about his performance Thursday night and believed he had articulated the strategy and resolve with which he is fighting the war on terror, White House communications director Dan Bartlett said. "I think he spoke from the heart, spoke with strength about the necessity for our country to fight the terrorists over there so we don't have to face them here at home," Bartlett told ABC. "He had a good time last night."
Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), the Arizona Republican who informally advised Bush on how to debate his friend and Senate colleague, told reporters in Miami on Friday that the debate was probably Kerry's "brightest moment" in the last six weeks. "He presented himself well, John did," McCain said. "Kerry came out slugging."
From the first question, Kerry went on the offensive, accusing Bush of leaving U.S. alliances around the world "in shatters" and later calling Iraq "this incredible mess." Bush noted that Kerry voted to authorize the same war he now criticizes. "That's not how a commander in chief acts," Bush charged.
Less than five weeks before the election, Iraq dominated the debate on a day when a string of bombs killed 35 children and wounded scores of others in western Baghdad. Overall, more than 1,000 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq.
Kerry summed up Bush's strategy for Iraq as "more of the same" and added: "This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment. And judgment is what we look for in the president of the United States of America."
Bush acknowledged that not every American agrees with the decisions he's made. "But people know where I stand," Bush said, suggesting they don't know where Kerry stands. "People out there listening know what I believe."
From Florida, Bush was heading out Friday to rallies in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, two key battleground states. Kerry was spending the day campaigning in Florida, where the presidential race was decided four years ago.
In Thursday night's encounter at the University of Miami, Bush and Kerry drew heavily on oft-repeated lines from their campaign speeches but they faced each other directly across the same stage for the first time.
Bush appeared irritated when Kerry leveled some of his charges, scowling at times and looking away in apparent disgust at others. Kerry often took notes when the president spoke. The television networks offered a split screen to viewers so they could see both men at the same time and watch their reactions.
On Iraq, Bush criticized Kerry for saying it was the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place. "What message does that send to our troops?" the president said. "Not a message a commander in chief gives."
Repeating a line he has used countless times to show his opponent is inconsistent, Bush tweaked Kerry for saying he voted for an $87 billion spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan (news - web sites) before he voted against it.
Kerry shot back, "Well, you know, when I talked bout the $87 billion, I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?"
Trying to persuade voters that he is tough enough to be commander in chief, Kerry said, "I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are." He said that Bush, in invading Iraq, lost sight of the goal of capturing terrorist leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).
But Bush insisted that "the world is safer without Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)." He called Iraq "a central part in the war on terror" and said 75 percent of bin Laden's leadership had been brought to justice.
Trying to turn Kerry's criticism against him, Bush said, "I understand what it means to be the commander in chief. And if I were to ever say, 'This is the wrong war at the wrong time at the wrong place,' the troops would wonder, 'How can I follow this guy?'"
Kerry said Bush failed to exhaust diplomatic solutions before ordering the invasion of Iraq and that the United States was left with 90 percent of the cost and 90 percent of the casualties. "Now we have this incredible mess in Iraq — $200 billion," Kerry charged. "It's not what the American people thought they were getting when they voted."
Bush ridiculed his opponent, saying he denigrated U.S. allies in the war, voted against the $87 billion measure to aid Afghanistan and Iraq and sent mixed signals. To Kerry's contention that he could summon broader international support for the war, Bush said, "They're not going to follow someone whose core convictions keep changing because of politics."
While Iraq was the dominant issue in the debate, there were notable differences on North Korea (news - web sites) and Iran, two nations suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons programs. Kerry urged that the United States hold direct bilateral talks with North Korea, but Bush called Kerry's proposal "a big mistake" that would crush multinational talks and remove pressure from China on North Korea. Kerry said North Korea has amassed more nuclear weapons during Bush's administration.
On Iran, Kerry said the United States should have worked with allies like France, Germany and Britain to impose
Did I miss something, which polls, and what results?
LOL!!! Lesseee, if I can draw a comparison.. Ok. Oil tanker spill. Next day, MSM asks people living near the spill: Is the ocean blue or is it black. Of course, they say "black". People thinking Kerry won the debate, last night, is meaningless in context of how they are going to vote.
I think "they" have decided that Kerry won ALL THREE debates...
But I repeat myself.
This debate will be forgotten as fast as the left has forgotten 9/11. Give it a day or two.
The mainstream media is spinning madly for Their Golden Boy TM as we knew they would. So far they haven't let us down.
Buck up. 2 more to go.
Do we really believe that "undecided" voters actually watched this debate?
Those who are informed already know the record of Pres. Bush...which is why we are voting for him again. Those who are informed can cite the various positions Kerry has taken, we can cite his dismal voting records during his 19 years in the senate, we catch him constantly on his lies, (we even have the transcripts and tape recordings to prove it), and we don't pay attention to this technique of propoganda polling nonsense.
If John Kerry wins this election, the terrorists have won. They want to get rid of Bush! If anyone thinks we will be safer with Kerry as president, please think again. I predict if Kerry wins we will be attacked over and over again because the terrorists know he's a traitor to his own country and they will take full advantage of this weak liar.
Kerry voted for an $87 billion spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan before he voted against it. Repeat after me, for the 87 billion BEFORE he voted against it, before he voted against it....
Like I've said before to Kerry supporters, Kerry is a great debater - so what? He can't make a decision.
And as to the nonsense about getting Germany and France into the fray: how does he propose to do that? They were pulling billions out of Iraq with arms and equipment contracts and were outraged that Bush had the brass to pull the plug on their scheme. Heck, they didn't commit much in way of personnel to the war in Bosnia, did they? And that was in their back yard.
Yikes!
Kerry is a disaster - slick, oily (or is that just sun screen?), forked tongued and a liar to the core.
Here's my poll:
I asked my 11 year old nephew this question:
John Kerry voted for the president to have the power to go to war against Iraq but now he is saying "well I didn't think he would actually go to war".
Would you vote for John Kerry?
My nephew's answer with a confused look: He said that?
I don't believe the truly undecideds watched more than 35 minutes of this debate. The undecideds are undecided because they don't feel like paying that close attention to the campaigns. My children 16 and 14 watched for about 45 minutes and then drifted away saying it was kind of boring. I believe they have a better attention span than "undecideds". My 17 year old is a big Bush fan and he watched the entire debate.
the terrorists know he's a traitor to his own country and they will take full advantage of this weak liar.
Sad but true. The coalition will bail out on Nov. 3rd also if Kerry is elected. He has denigrated them over and over.
Yep, that's exactly right. Last night, a lot of people here were providing links to online polls ("FREEP THIS POLL!!") about who won the debate. I went to some of those links and voted... but I voted for John Kerry. He did a better job, but that doesn't mean it changes the dynamics of the race. At least, I hope not.
Do they mean online internet polls?
If John Kerry wins this election, America has lost in just about every meaningful respect. Seriously. And the electorate will deserve what it gets.
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