If at First You Don't Succeed . . . Why Bush did better in the second debate.

The Weekly Standard ^ | 10/9/04 | Fred Barnes

[MarlboroRed]

Very good point. Attack, attack, attack.

[nmh]

" This time, he plans to ignore the polls, whatever they say, and continue on the attack. "

GOOD!

So will I and I pray Bush wins.

[zzen01]

Gee Fred is that why you last night on Fox News called the debate a "TIE"!?

[FairOpinion]

"With the exception of the Reagan debate lesson, Bush strategists have learned a lot from earlier presidential campaigns, especially Bush's own in 2000. Remember, for example, the last week of that campaign. Bush continued traveling but he dropped his attacks on Al Gore and merely asked voters to elect him. He told one Republican leader he expected to get 300-plus electoral votes and win Michigan, Pennsylvania, and perhaps even New Jersey (he lost all three). Gore, of course, took the opposite tack, stepping up his criticism of Bush. And the race tightened to a dead heat.

Bush won't go soft again. He intends to zing Kerry as aggressively as ever in the week leading up to November 2."

What is it with Republicans that they always being conned into "taking the high road", which always lead straight to defeat.

Bush better not go soft, he has to do what works. And why is TELLING THE TRUTH about Kerry and his record, and not letting him get away with lies considered "an attack"?

[Betaille]

Barnes really flopped on his coverage last night. Bush really connected with every non-spin focus group ive seen.

[McGavin999]

I love Fred, but here's a tip for him.....BUSH WON BIG LAST NIGHT!

[Clump]

What is the format for the next debate? Is it like the VP debate?

[KellyAdmirer]

That President Ford almost won, only two years after Watergate and opposing a Southern Democrat, is still amazing to me. Coming from 30 points down to a virtually tie, that doesn't happen too often, not at that level.

[MarlboroRed]

It's a single-moderated debate on domestic issues. The moderator is Bob Schieffer (sp?) of CBS news.

[bushsupporter30]

I wonder if the first debate wasnt strategery. How many times have we seen the president misunderestimated and then he comes swinging. He was tired, no doubt in the first debate, and there were rules that he had to follow, plus the side by side TV option was supposed to be invalid. Plus the bar was lowered where Kerry had to really perform to keep up his facade from the first debate and he probably thought he could coast easy. Bush really showed it to him that the best defense is offense and the zingers proved it.

[toomanygrasshoppers]

I still think that the plan was for Pres. Bush to come out weaker in the first debate so that all eyes and ears would be on his performance for the second one. There was so much hype for it. Of couse he hit a home run on the second debate and his great performance is getting alot more press than if he had done well in both debates. If he had done well in the first debate then he would be in Kerry's position right now. President Bush's poll numbers will be right back where they were prior to debate #1 and he will sail to victory easily Nov 2. IMHO.

[Jenya]

I like Fred Barnes a lot, but I find that he shifts his opinions once other results are in.

I wanted to throw a brick through the tv last night when he called the debate a tie. We'll see what he says on The Beltway Boys later.

[mtbopfuyn]

Bush won. Bush won. Bush won.

Kerry lost. Kerry lost. Kerry lost.

There was no tie.

The old media needs to wake up and smell the coffee or they'll be left behind.

[counterpunch]

What is it with Republicans that they always being conned into "taking the high road", which always lead straight to defeat.

When the Democrats try, and they already have, to accuse Bush of taking the low road, he can always say "They call it going negative, I call it talking about the Senator's record."

[MarlboroRed]

I doubt there was a plan to perform badly the first debate, but I think Bush's performance last night makes the first debate disappear.

[kingattax]

after the debate Freddie was on with Brit Hume and called

the debate "a tie".....what a moron

[Ole Okie]

Gee Fred is that why you last night on Fox News called the debate a "TIE"!?

The whole Fox team last night seemed paralyzed by fear that someone might accuse them of thinking Bush had won the debate.

I was incredulous at first. Then angry.

Then I went elsewhere.

Fox needs to remember those who brung them to the dance.

[kingattax]

schieffer is pro-kerry. he can barely hide it

[Betaille]

I especially liked it when Bush ran over the debate moderator. The moderators in a town hall debate is not supposed to interfere with candidates rebuttals.

[Ole Okie]

And while I'm thinking about it, Brit made a post debate reference to the even-handedness and non-obtrusiveness displayed by Charlie Gibson.

The placement of the "Name three mistakes you've made" question to Bush appeared to be a deliberate setup by Gibson. I yelled unflattering things at the TV screen when the liberal looking lady read that question.

Gibson had deliberately held that question to the last. It looked as if ABC was trying to provide fodder for the media to bash Bush, and to provide ad material to MoveOn and the DNC.

I'm still mad about it.