Posted on 10/10/2004 9:50:09 PM PDT by neverdem
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Washington
When pro-Kerry commentators solemnly pronounce Debate Round 2 to have been "a draw" - you know George Bush won that round.
The president won because he went in with a theme spoken by the heavyweight champion Joe Louis, just before his 1946 rematch victory over the lighter, faster Billy Conn: "He can run, but he can't hide." (The Brown Bomber caught up with Conn in the eighth round of that first TV spectacular.)
Bush's debate plan was to keep boring in on the Kerry record: flip-flopping this year on the war, but all too consistently liberal for 20 years on tax increases.
On the war, Kerry almost eagerly made Bush's point, at first saying, "I do believe Saddam Hussein was a threat," and moments later denouncing Bush for being "preoccupied with Iraq, where there wasn't a threat."
The president exploited the contradiction in Kerry's latest policy, which claims the ability to attract troop support from France, Germany and Russia - while agreeing with them that the war was a diversion. To Kerry's "plan" to hold a summit, Bush asked: "And what is he going to say to those people that show up to the summit? 'Join me in the wrong war at the wrong time at the wrong place'?"
Although Kerry accused the Bush campaign of "mass deception," he let the president focus on that illogical policy. The Democrat weakly cited recent worrying by Republican Senators Richard Lugar and Chuck Hagel, recited a list of retired generals who endorsed him and embraced Ronald Reagan. Such a stretch for conservative company, followed by a plaintive "We will get tough!," hardly shows strength.
When Kerry complained again of "going it alone," Bush was ready with a powerful counterpunch: "Tell Tony Blair we're going alone. Tell Silvio Berlusconi we're going alone. Tell Aleksander Kwasniewski we're going alone."
This not only showed that Bush knew these allies personally, but could also pronounce Kwasniewski's name, which reminded Polish-Americans that Poland's president had responded angrily to Kerry's brushoff of his country's sacrifices in the first debate. (Next day, Australians re-elected John Howard, a staunch coalition member, who trounced a cut-and-run opponent - good news for coalition leaders.)
When the questioning turned to taxes, Kerry pandered with a liberal's absurd promise not to sign legislation raising taxes on anybody making less than $200,000 a year, neglecting only to say,"Read my lips."
Kerry also blundered with a weird attack on an $84 item in the Bushes' federal income tax return, supposedly from a timber business. "I own a timber company? That's news to me," said Bush, adding engagingly in what was the most natural moment in the debate, "Need some wood?" It turns out that Kerry relied on an Annenberg Web site that later admitted it had been confused, which left the Democratic candidate out on a hardwood limb. Bush was too much the gentleman to point out, now that their income taxes were in dispute, that Mrs. Heinz Kerry paid only 11 percent in 2003 on her $5 million income, while the Bushes paid 28 percent.
(Although every Bush slip gets delighted examination - he called Kerry "Kennedy" and he said, "Internets"; can you imagine? - Kerry's minor gaffes attract little notice. When citing his overseas travel in the first debate, Kerry talked of visiting the old K.G.B. headquarters "in Treblinka square." He meant Lubyanka Square; Treblinka was the Nazi death camp. We all make mistakes.)
As Bush picked up steam, Kerry seemed to lose heart, again evoking Lugar and Hagel, skillfully backing away like Billy Conn. Asked about high damage awards gained by trial lawyers that drive up everybody's insurance premiums, he replied that John Edwards and he "support tort reform," even to limitations on punitive awards. Bush delivered a body blow: "You're now for capping punitive damages. That's odd. You should have shown up on the floor in the Senate and voted for it then."
In an anguishing moment, Kerry said he was against partial-birth abortion (as are most voters, including many pro-choice) and then explained why he voted against the ban that is now law. Countered Bush: "He was given a chance to vote and he voted no. . . . It's clear for everybody to see. And as I said, you can run, but you can't hide."
E-mail:safire@nytimes.com
Bush did well, it was what I was expecting in the first debate.
Kerry got his information from an article we posted Sept. 23 stating that Bush on his 2001 federal income-tax returns "reported $84 of business income from his part ownership of a timber-growing enterprise." We should clarify: the $84 in Schedule C income was from Bush's Lone Star Trust, which is actually described on the 2001 income-tax returns as an "oil and gas production" business. The Lone Star Trust now owns 50% of the tree-growing company, but didn't get into that business until two years after the $84 in question. So we should have described the $84 as coming from an "oil and gas" business in 2001, and will amend that in our earlier article.
sit down, put down tasty libation, clear sinuses...
ok?
ok.
NYSlimes admits in print that
a. Bush won round two
b. Kerry is a dithering lying idiot
c. media bias favors Kerry
I think he wants to highlight it on domestic issues. Flip flop, weak on security & defense, typical tax & spend liberal willing on domestic issues.
Loved hearing Edwards on the Sunday AM talk show admit that all of the social goodies might have to go in order to keep the tax promise.
It turns out that Kerry relied on an Annenberg Web site that later admitted it had been confused, which left the Democratic candidate out on a hardwood limb.
This is just ONE of about one HUNDRED reasons why this man should NEVER become President of the United States of America.
Post away Tonk!
" Nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide ".,.. come on people sing it with me and with (Martha and the Vandellas.) It is the theme song for the rest of the campaign"
I agree with you. Bush cleaned his clock & left the po boy licking some new wounds.
As to FOX, I think the movie Outfoxed got under their skin & then we had that accidental publishing of Karl Cameron making fun of Kerry... I think they're kinda spooked. LOL
Kristol understands. He simply hates Bush for beating McCain in the 2000 primaries. Kristol keeps pushing McCain for every friggin' post in the Bush administration (dump Cheney, replace Rumsfeld, etc.) and then get his panties in a bunch when Bush won't defer to the little policy wonk's wisdom.
No problem with your tag line at my end. I've always like Barry Goldwater's "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice".
Is he a member of the ACLU?
MSM have been exposed for that they are. Fox better take heed to the wake up call.
They think they got to #1 by kissing up to the libs? No............
And the "silent" are tired of being silent. The conservative base is awakening, along with the numbers of us who USED to be on the other side. No wonder the Libs are freaking out!
The author, Bill Safire, was a Nixon speechwriter!
While I was watching the debate my liberal brother called me laughing and said, "I gotta hand it to you. Your man Bush is beating the ever-living crap outta Kerry tonight. It's actually hilarious!" That was a priceless moment, let me tell you! BTW, he isn't voting for Kerry, he's voting for Nader, tee, hee!
Ah, Bill Safire! :)
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