don't blame his handlers....last i looked he is an adult male who happens to be president of the united states. it was his umms, uhhhs, ahhhs, and various facial ticks that did him in. he looked like he didn't want to there, which isn't very presidential if he wants to be reelected.
he also kept repeating the same phrases. i don't know what the problem was but he was bad. let's hope he practices for the next one.
Democracy Corps Poll has Bush up by two points.
http://www.democracycorps.com/reports/surveys/Democracy_Corps_September_30_2004_1st_Debate_Survey.pdf
What if the poll is nothing but propaganda? Like the Harris poll at the start of Sept that claimed "Bush's convention bounch is gone"? Funny how the bad new for Bush polls are treated as gospel by a certain sect of Freepers and the ones that show bad new for Kerry are "suspicous" Why is that?
Bush has always had "ummm" pauses when he is speaking...he seems to need a bit of time to collect his thoughts especiallly with complex conversations. Many males have this problem...it has to do where the speach centers are in male brains verses female brains. Males will do well with prepared speaches and rehearsed come backs...(ala Kerry) but not as well on the whole with off the cuff speeches as women do.
The emperor Claudius was seen as some-what of a plodding slow of tongue administrator...yet ironically he was probably one of the best ruling emperors who actually balanced the empire's financial affairs and was popular with his soldiers.
Let us not forget Moses, who also was slow of tongue and halt of speech! The Bible speaks of controversey that various folks would have with his style of leadership...there were times he didn't want to be there either.(In reference to your post regarding Bush's demeanor).
Unfortunately, Bush spent the day before the debate having to do presidential stuff...I'd be tired and frazzled too!
Dick Morris said it looked to him as if the POTUS had only enough material for 1/2 hour. Since he had to go 45 minutes he was forced to recycle some of it.