Posted on 10/06/2004 10:23:13 AM PDT by Area Freeper
John Edwards was puppy-dog happy to be debating last night. Dick Cheney was the old hound who, only because he had to, agreed to show up and fetch some answers. So both men lived up to type and hype. Neither one stomped the other, but that doesn't make it a tie game. Republicans are still in trouble.
After the veep venom fest, the GOP team is walking wounded. Democrats have the momentum, and Edwards stayed on offense most of the night. He went hard after the key to victory - sounding almost Republican-tough about killing terrorists.
Cheney's job was to stop the bleeding that started with last Thursday's presidential debate. John Kerry's strong performance, at least compared with President Bush's lackluster one, helped to push the race back to neck and neck, which is why Edwards mentioned "last Thursday" six times by my count.
Cheney actually did far better than Bush did against Kerry. But the talking abilities of Edwards the trial lawyer gave him a built-in advantage that Cheney could not overcome.
Not that he tried very hard. Although the vice president came equipped with some zingers, such as the number of times Edwards has missed Senate meetings, his body language - from slumping a lot to slumping a little - spoke louder.
So did his hands. He went from clasping and wringing them to propping up his chin while he talked. At least twice he essentially passed on a chance to speak, suggesting he either couldn't be bothered or had nothing to say. It was not an inspiring performance, even though he scored solid points to those paying close attention. He drove home repeatedly, for example, the charge that Kerry's record showed him too inconsistent to be commander-in-chief.
Unfortunately for Republicans, a TV debate puts the emphasis on TV. And Edwards looks better, sounds better and comes across as more engaged and engaging. He leaned forward and became animated, conveying energy and the promise of change. He conceded he lacks Cheney's experience, but sought to make it a virture, saying the U.S. "can't take four more years of their experience."
And Edwards zeroed in on a few key tasks. He repeated several times that he and Kerry "have a plan." He used the phrase talking about Iraq, about health care, the deficit, jobs, even on lawsuits. I got the sense somebody told him the word "plan" tested well in focus groups.
Edwards' other task was harder - to convince voters he and Kerry would be tough on terror. Polls have shown huge gaps on that issue, and it remains the final obstacle for the Kerry campaign. Millions of Americans who have doubts about Bush's policies have greater doubts about Kerry's leadership.
Edwards confronted the issue, saying how tough he and Kerry would be. "I would find the terrorists wherever they are and kill them before they do harm to us," Edwards said.
If that's the quote of the day, the whopper was Edwards' claim that "John Kerry has been completely consistent about Iraq and so have I."
The election season has obviously taught Dems the public is more serious about terrorism than the party was just months ago. That Kerry and Edwards are now talking tough is a welcome change.
They should leave it at that. They shouldn't insult voters by insisting they've been saying the same thing all along. Even a donkey knows that's not true.
BALONEY
I had thought that might change just a little after 9/11.
Would anyone have guessed that Edwards was a successful trial lawyer from watching him last night? I doubt it.
As far as "talking ability" goes, Cheney's delivery was smoother and his arguments were better structured.
This column by Michael Goodwin is the written equivalent of the online poll-spamming we saw last night by Democrat activists -- totally divorced from the reality of what took place in the debate, a cheap attempt to manipulate public opinion in Edwards' favor.
Right Joe Lockhardt has no choice but to keep saying Kerry is winning if he has any chance of getting back into this race.
"What is this strange fixation of some freepers have in spewing hyper critism at OUR guys while completely ignoring how pathtic the SUBSTACE was in either Kerry or Edwards"?
There are many faux Freepers that are actually dim operatives posting here. "Some" even have old sign-up dates!
LLS
I think the wild turkey may have another agenda.
WildTurkey
Since Sep 24, 2004
If you were them, would you have any respect for those two?
Bush and Cheney were probably sick to their stomachs from smelling Kerry and Edwards putrid perfumes and toxic hair sprays!
Kerry is talking this week off to "rest" for the next debate. There's the botox injections, trim, pedicures, bikini trimming, ex foliating....so many beatitudes, so little time.
"Anybody who forgets to mention Torii Hunter in the Andruw Jones-Jim Edmonds-Junior Griffey (in his prime) debate."
"The way Vice President Cheney kept bringing his hands up to his chin as he spoke? Nothing says 'unfamiliar with the process' more than muffled sound in a debate."
"Posada running on Hunter and sliding straight-up instead of down and dirty, the way he should have, with a belly flop and an outstretched arm. "
I sent an email expressing my discomfort. What a gratuitous non-sequitor or something.
As someone who was critical of Bush's debate with Kerry, I think Cheney came back strong and hit Kerry/Edwards on their lame records and lack of substance. Cheney did really good last night. I completely disagree with your assessment of the debate last night. Also, in reality to how harsh I have been on Bush's debate last week-if people read the transcript, Kerry isn't all that. Bush campaign needs to hit Kerry back on WHAT he said.
Yeah, and what about Halliburton.......
What the heck was this guy snorting last night? Did he see the same debate I did? This is unreal.
I wonder what color the sky is in this writer's world?
I will never look at John Edwards again and not hear "Where is Thumbkin?" in my head. Thank you Laura Ingraham. LOL
Yes. Immediately after their arrest, Lynne Stewart will issue a Press Release declaring the suspicious nature of the Timing of the arrests since "OBL and Al-Zawahiri have been supporting Senator Kerry openly for Months."
Bush Wins all 50 states.lol
What debate did this guy watch?
Every time Cheney nailed him, he changed the subject to something else....
"Yes, I avoided paying taxes, but....but..... Haliberton!!"
"Yes, we need to fight terrorism, but....but....millions are without health care!"
Bush Wins all 50 states.lol
Bush winning all 50 states works for me! GO BUSH/CHENEY GO!!!
It has gotten to a degree of absurdity that a child could recognize.
It may play well with the other Demons, but do the normal people out there buy it? I don't think so.
Your despair has almost moved me to tears! Where are my tissues? I need a hanky! Oh, woe is me. We're DOOOOOOOOOMED. DOOMED, I say!
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