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Remarks by BC04 Campaign Mgr Ken Mehlman And Chief Strategist Matthew Dowd On Tomorrow's Debate
George W. Bush ^ | October 7, 2004

Posted on 10/07/2004 3:39:59 PM PDT by RWR8189

Remarks by Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman And Chief Strategist Matthew Dowd in Conference Call Regarding Tomorrow's Debate

(title edited for length)

ARLINGTON, VA - Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman and Chief Strategist Matthew Dowd made the following remarks today in a Bush-Cheney '04 conference call regarding tomorrow's debate:

Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman:

"Tomorrow night's debate provides an important opportunity for Senator Kerry to answer a number of questions that have arisen in the course of these debates and in the course of this campaign by the American people about the issues that will be discussed on national security and the War on Terror and also on domestic issues. 

"It's an opportunity for Senator Kerry to defend a thirty-year record of being wrong with defense, which even John Edwards was unable to defend.  It's an opportunity for him to explain what he meant by the 'global test' and how America would pass it under his leadership, and why an American Commander in Chief should have to pass a 'global test' before defending our country.  It's an opportunity for him to explain how a record of eleven different positions on the war in Iraq can be called 'consistent.'

"It's an opportunity for him to explain which taxes he would raise to pay for the $1.5 trillion healthcare program he has come out in favor of, and which he has said he would raise taxes to pay for and how he would close the tax gap between the costs of his other promises and the effect of just raising taxes on the rich. 

"It's an opportunity for him to explain how he can be for the findings of the 9/11 Commission yet yesterday miss a vote on the 9/11 Commission Report findings being enacted into law, and how he can be for middle class tax cuts having just a few weeks ago along with Senator Edwards missed a vote on the middle class tax cuts. 

"So, this debate will be another opportunity for Senator Kerry to do something which he did not do in the first debate, and which his running mate did not do in the vice presidential debate, which is to overcome the threshold question -- given his record and given his vision why the American people should trust him to be Commander in Chief at this critical time -- and for him to explain his domestic policies to the American people."

Bush-Cheney '04 Chief Strategist Matthew Dowd:

"Last Thursday in Miami, just looking ahead for viewership and what we think might happen, sixty-three million people watched the debate, the highest number since 1992.  This weekend in Cleveland the vice presidential debate had nearly 44 million people watch the debate, which is the highest number since 1992.  As we said before, people are engaged, they're listening, they want to know where the candidates stand on policy and what their vision is for the next four years.  We expect this next debate to be well-watched.  The only question is, because it's a Friday night what does that mean for viewership, but my guess is it's going to be a pretty high number, higher than the second and third debates in 2000, not knowing exactly what that is. 

"The other thing is where we think the race stands today.  We think this race has settled into about a two-point advantage for us right now.  If you take a look at all the public polls that have come out since the debate was ended, the average of all of those public polls is about a two-point average.  There are some lower than that, some higher than that, but the total of them is two points, and we think the battleground states are reflective of that. 

"We said, to reiterate along since March 3 when this race began, that we thought it would ultimately be a three or four-point race at most.  It's settling into that.  We expect it to finish up that way through the course of these debates and on to Election Day.  So we said that when we were up in the polls and we said that when we were down in the polls and that's still what we think this race is going to settle into."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bc04; bush43; debate; dowd; gwb2004; kenmehlman; matthewdowd; mehlman
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1 posted on 10/07/2004 3:40:00 PM PDT by RWR8189
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: RWR8189
After Bush's performance in the first debate, I can't help thinking 'rope-a-dope...'
3 posted on 10/07/2004 3:43:44 PM PDT by atomicpossum (If there are two Americas, John Edwards isn't qualified to lead either of them.©)
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To: drudge_fan42
I dont understand why the 'global test' remark has become an issue. It seems dangerous to bring it up so much, because its obvious that Kerry had just gotten through saying he would never give away veto power over defending our country.

It's a flip-flop. He was obviously before the global test before he was against it.

And welcome to Free Republic, by the way.

4 posted on 10/07/2004 3:45:51 PM PDT by TBarnett34 (I am become death, the destroyer of vanity posts.)
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To: atomicpossum
"After Bush's performance in the first debate, I can't help thinking 'rope-a-dope...'"

Yep, IMO The President sandbagged him big time.
5 posted on 10/07/2004 3:47:24 PM PDT by Tweaker
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To: drudge_fan42
RNC should have down played these debates from the beginning stating how can you believe anything Kerry says because his views change according to what he thinks the public wants to hear!
6 posted on 10/07/2004 3:47:25 PM PDT by patriciamary
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: RWR8189

So who will be asking Mr Kerry these questions?????
It reminds me of the debates when Slick Willie was not asked a single question pertaining to his character.
If they had not even Ross Perot could have saved his Slimy A$$.


8 posted on 10/07/2004 3:48:38 PM PDT by liberty or death
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To: drudge_fan42; Admin Moderator

TROLL ALERT


9 posted on 10/07/2004 3:49:32 PM PDT by aft_lizard (Actually i dropped in on)
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To: RWR8189

I fear that many in the northeast and midwest will be distracted from Friday night's debate by the NYY vs. MIN playoff game, which starts at 8pm ET on ESPN... :(


10 posted on 10/07/2004 3:49:34 PM PDT by nutmeg ("The DemocRATic party...has been hijacked by a confederacy of gangsters..." - Pat Caddell, 11/27/00)
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To: RWR8189

Anyone else out there who doesn't find Mr. Mehlman very impressive? I've seen him repeatedly on TV interviews and, IMHO, he's not effective.


11 posted on 10/07/2004 3:50:42 PM PDT by Mike Bates (You're getting drowsy. You will buy my book, you will buy my book, you will buy my book. . .)
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To: StarFan; Dutchy; alisasny; BobFromNJ; BUNNY2003; Cacique; Clemenza; Coleus; cyborg; DKNY; ...
ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

12 posted on 10/07/2004 3:50:53 PM PDT by nutmeg ("The DemocRATic party...has been hijacked by a confederacy of gangsters..." - Pat Caddell, 11/27/00)
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To: TBarnett34

These darn trolls think that they can use nuance here.


13 posted on 10/07/2004 3:52:29 PM PDT by aft_lizard (Actually i dropped in on)
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To: Mike Bates

Mehlmen doesnt need to look effective on TV he just needs to be it behind closed doors.


14 posted on 10/07/2004 3:53:33 PM PDT by aft_lizard (Actually i dropped in on)
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To: aft_lizard

I'm about as nuanced as a ton of bricks falling off a ten-story building. They don't escape me.


15 posted on 10/07/2004 3:55:07 PM PDT by TBarnett34 (I am become death, the destroyer of vanity posts.)
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To: atomicpossum

What do you mean by rope a dope?


16 posted on 10/07/2004 3:58:20 PM PDT by lawgirl (I like knowing where my President is every night- at home in bed with his wife!)
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To: lawgirl
What do you mean by rope a dope?

When Ali fought Foreman, he went through the opening rounds holding his arms against his body while Foreman pummelled him mercilessly. As they made it to later rounds, Ali suddenly sprang to life and ran rings around the slower Foreman, who had spent all his energy against Ali. Ali won the fight, and the term 'rope-a-dope' refers to the strategy of letting your opponent run himself dry early on while you take his shots and wait to open up on him...

17 posted on 10/07/2004 4:02:33 PM PDT by atomicpossum (If there are two Americas, John Edwards isn't qualified to lead either of them.©)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: atomicpossum

Ah ha! Well I sure hope and pray you're right. Thanks for the explanation.


19 posted on 10/07/2004 4:42:34 PM PDT by lawgirl (I like knowing where my President is every night- at home in bed with his wife!)
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To: TBarnett34

OMG the Global Test question is the end of Kerry... Read the WMD report... When your prior allies (FRANCE) are being bribed by the enemy why bother asking permission from the world... John Kerry would wait for the word of Corrupt governments in order to make a decision to defend ourselves? What is that???? Its over the Global Test is the icing on the cake...


20 posted on 10/07/2004 4:45:00 PM PDT by tomnbeverly (Global Tests in the defense of our Country are not supported by the CONSTITUTION.)
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