Firstly, we need to recognize that unlike John (the Gigolo) sKerry who has a lot of time on his hands even while 'campaigning' (and forget that he's absent from the senate 2/3rd of the time anyway). President Bush was at work and even made the time to visit the hurricane wracked state of Florida for the 4th time.
We saw how he freely mingled with the people and genuinely showed emphathy & compassion with those thus affected.
So going well into the debate, yes we saw him being somewhat stumbling and even a bit seemingly mumbling his answers, but understand that as the President of the Most Powerful country in the World and being at War and under the CONSTANT THREAT OF A TERRORIST ATTACK, imagine the kind of constant pressure that this man has to endure.
In contrast sKerry CAN afford to get his Orange (or whatever color he chooses) tan, get an expensive manicure and even a teeth whitening!!
So one was working hard and one was loafing & getting pampered? Who cares?
As for me I want the man who cares and that is George W. Bush!!
Bush gets a pass for those because it's "known" and built-in ahead of time + he had some moments which were compassionate and open which probably sucked up the security mom fencesitter types that would have not approved of Bush taking Kerry head-on or brutal slam-down.