Posted on 10/08/2004 8:25:59 PM PDT by ambrose
Posted on Fri, Oct. 08, 2004
Bush Fights to Keep Emotions in Check
RON FOURNIER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - President Bush smirked and winked and chuckled to himself. He jumped from his stool, chopped at the air and interrupted the debate moderator. As he fought to keep his emotions in check in a testy, personal debate with Sen. John Kerry, the president asserted, "That answer almost made me scowl."
Several answers brought Bush's emotions to the surface, for better or worse, as he sought to curb Kerry's momentum.
The question that hung over the second of their three debates was whether Bush's aggressive, hyper style was an effective tool or a damaging habit - an extension of his disastrous first debate performance. Reviews were mixed.
Bush "seemed wound a bit too tight. He was a little like Nixon - sort of jumping out of his suit," said David Niven, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. "He looked bad on the TV close-ups."
"Kerry was way too wordy and Bush was folksy, feisty," said Charles Franklin, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin. "Bush looked comfortable, and produced a plausible story line."
As for voters, especially those in the shrinking mushy middle yet to make up their minds, both Bush and Kerry presented an angry, negative face to national politics.
Several said they were disappointed by both men.
"They're very argumentative. I'm actually disgusted," said Jennifer Schmitz, 38, a mother of three in Klamath Falls, Ore. "It's the same old back and forth meanness."
In their 90-minute faceoff, Kerry was cooler and windier, but no less confrontational.
"He gave you a speech" on Iraq "and told you he'd plan carefully," Kerry told the crowd of uncommitted voters standing in for millions of Americans watching the debate. "He didn't. He broke his word."
At times, Kerry swiveled to address Bush directly, forcing camera angles that caught the president's facial reactions. Bush seemed to be aware that his reactions were being watched; as Kerry spoke, he scribbled notes or looked at the Democrat.
"He rushed to war," Kerry said. "This president hasn't listened."
Both candidates sought to address their political vulnerabilities - for Kerry, assertions that he is a flip-flopper and, for Bush, the self-inflicted wounds from the first debate.
Kerry summed up Bush's re-election campaign strategy nicely - "He wants you to believe that I can't be president." Then he accused Bush of waffling on crime and education polices among others before turning the topic back to Iraq. "Let me tell you this, I have never changed my mind about Iraq," Kerry said, glossing over his history of inconsistency on the topic.
As for Bush, voters said last week they were turned off by his repetition of a few talking points during his turns at the microphone and his peevish facial expressions during Kerry's remarks. He did so poorly_ about a third of voters formed a less favorable view of him during the debate, according to an AP-Ipsos poll - that he had nowhere to go but up.
Bush cut down on the antics Friday night, but didn't eliminate them.
Early in the debate, Kerry quoted Republican senators expressing concern about Iraq. Television cameras caught Bush laughing to himself, then smirking, and finally giving a quick wink to somebody in the crowd.
He and Kerry repeatedly jumped from their stools to respond, wandering the red-carpeted stage to make their points. Bush was the most aggressive, at one point overrunning moderator Charles Gibson's attempt to pose a question after Kerry said he was "not going to go alone like this president did" in Iraq.
"I've got to answer this," Bush said, cutting off Gibson, then indignantly responded to Kerry. "You tell Tony Blair we're going alone."
Often, Bush's voice rose to nearly a shout. Was is too much? That's in the eye of the beholder.
"Bush looks the most determined. He's up and down, but he's not angry. He focused on how he responds," said Chris Montgomery, 48, an uncommitted voter in New Orleans who leaned toward Bush before the debate.
He said Kerry kept talking about his plan for Iraq, "but where was it?"
Craig Swatland, 40, an uncommitted voter listening to the debate on the radio in Bozeman, Mont., said Bush was "pretty heated up, but he's just being aggressive.
"I would just like one of these guys to answer a question," he said. "I'm tired of listening to the rhetoric and the carping."
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But this one looks like the debate where Gore tried to get in Bush's face- it's going to stick no matter what the media spin is.
Several answers brought Bush's emotions to the surface, for better or worse, as he sought to curb Kerry's momentum
WHAT Kerry momentum? Boy, I am really shocked on how nakedly partisan the AP is.
Funny how the AP sued to force the Pentagon to release all the Bush Guard Documents but has yet to do even ONE story on the missing 31 pages of Kerry records. I wonder why that is?
Fournier doesn't have an unbiased bone in his body. Don't read his garbage.
I'll give that last week Bush did make faces but this week I didn't see any. Kerry was the one who squirmed and was trying to be in Bush's face and space. Bush was controlled and fantastic!!
As Bush said tonight -- you can run but you can't hide. And that goes double for Ron and his stupid AP drivel!!!!!!!!
Bush "seemed wound a bit too tight. He was a little like Nixon - sort of jumping out of his suit," said David Niven, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. "He looked bad on the TV close-ups."
From http://www.texnews.com/abilene2000/elec/lead1119.html
Political scientist David Niven of Florida Atlantic University, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully this year for a state House seat, said Gore backers should be worried.
This is the most outrageous, but expected and archetypal, AP headliner and content. It misrepresents, even fraudulently in relation to the report about a Bush comment which was clearly intended to poke fun at the reporting of his facial displays during the first debate, and all of it total bull shit, it almost makes me think I am living in the Soviet Union, the AP nothing but a front for the Democratic Party, which is without question the Enemy of Democracy, and the AP is nothing but a political organization which would assist in our enslavement. And I mean every damn word I just said. I spit on them, they want to put us in the concentration camps, because with this level of counterfeit, purposeful propaganda, they have an end, to them their end justifies the means, and their end doesn’t bode well for liberty.
There was a time when an AP under the byline of an article was a sign that you would get the story straightforward and unbiased, Mr. Fournier's latest piece Bush Fights to Keep Emotions in Check has destroyed that idea.
Mr. Fournier has made a name for himself as an anti-Bush writer, which is fine as an op-ed piece, but not as a reporter. A reporter used to report the news, cold hard facts, maybe a little opinion, but objective; Mr. Fournier's piece was blatantly biased, with a strong anti-Bush edge to it, especially in the lead paragraph.
It's a pity that the venerable Associated Press, the AP, has become the Absolutely Partisan.
(just sent to the AP)
Stop hedging. There is no reason for you to hold back ;)
Anyway, we won the debate. Tracking polls over the next two days will reflect this.
Our President kicked Kerry's sorry behind. Did anyone notice Bush slipping his hand into his jacket a few times(as if to adjust tie or such)? He has a sharp sense of humor and I think perhaps he was mocking Kerry (from last debate). This goes with the "that almost made me scowl" comment.
I'm trying hard to control my emotions and not ...oh, may be I should calm down, spend some time in Tibet, get in touch with my inner child...
...you didn't think I was going to fly off the handle and advocate violence against a biased reporter with the brains of flee, did you? That's the old JPF, I have my emotions under control. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a yoga lesson.
You did see the thread about the ABC memo and Mark Halprein, right?
Someone PLEASE explain this part of the story to me:
BUSH "SEEMED WOUND A BIT TOO TIGHT. He was a little like Nixon - sort of jumping out of his suit," said David Niven, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. "He looked bad on the TV close-ups."
"Kerry was way too wordy and Bush was folksy, feisty," said Charles Franklin, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin. "BUSH LOOKED COMFORTABLE, and produced a plausible story line."
I THINK THE WRITER INTENTIONALLY CHANGED "KERRY" TO "BUSH" IN THE FIRST LINE.
Jennifer, would you get over kindergarten and join the real world? There are actaully enemies out there that will not be swayed by a cookie and glass of milk. Two men, well ok, one man and one senator are arguing the important points of how to deal with these murderers. So straighten up your backbone and quit your pathetic whining. Either that or get up and grab a cookie in the kitchen and STAY THERE!
No Bush is suppose to sit back and let Kerry lie about him time after time.She should be worried about her children's safety if Kerry the traitor gets elected!
RON WHORE-NIER?
He has directly transcribed DNC talking points. UFB!
Screw the MSM, the pundits, et. al.!
These weasels don't actually DO anything, they just report and pass judgement on what other do.
Don't believe the instant polls, either. The vote for Popeye is so out of proportion to be statistically insignificant.
W knocked it out of the park. Period. Full stop.
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