Bush came out on fire and on the attack, and Kerry was reduced to "we shouldn't label people (after Bush called him a Liberal)" and I have a plan I have plan no really I have a plan.
When Kerry whined about the Liberal tag , Bush looked straight at him and said "Senator, you can run but you can't hide"
I am watching Joan of Arcadia now.....the pundits make me ill.
You nailed it. And then Kerry went on to label people. He was pitiful in some ways, eloquent in others, but overall he was playing catchup (Ketchup?) to Bush all night. You can't win a debate defending yourself. I thought this debate was better than any I have seen in years. It all came down to facts vs. fantasy, drumbeat vs. reality. Bush was in command of the facts and wasn't afraid to brutally plunge the knife in when warranted. He told a lot of Americans some things they had not heard before. As CIC he has access to such information and he used it wisely. Congratulations to George Bush.
No doubt the MSM is biased. But beyond that, they DO want it to be perceived as close, even if it isn't. Think back to previous elections. Even when Clinton was winning big in 1996, it was still "close" if you listened to the media.
Bush did MUCH better. All Kerry did was attack. He never answered any questions. Bush started strong, I thought a little weak in the middle, but finished strong. It will be interesting to see how Kerry's performance plays to the masses. Because he was just an attack dog.