[bogeybob]

The President did just what he was supposed to do in this forum. This is not the debate club at the local high school or at Yale. This is a free opportunity to have 45 minutes to drive home YOUR message to YOUR supporters. You talk to YOUR supporters and YOU deliver the messages that YOU have determined YOU want to deliver. Those messages were:

1. Kerry is inconsistent.

2. Inconsistency is not a leadership quality.

3. We are at war.

4. We will determine our destiny, not some other body like the UN.

Kerry fell right into the trap by using the word "global". He also referred to Vietnam four times. Most voters could care about Vietnam. And what the hell is a "summit" going to do to stop the jiahdis from killing kids and lopping off heads.

The President also avoided bashing and let Kerry come across as the attack dog. Note that he went right back to speaking to his base out in the heartland.

45 minutes of talking to YOUR base. You'll see it again and again in these debates. It will fly right over the commentator's heads as to what just happened.

[goldstategop]

On second thought, Bush won the debate on the merits since he seemed sincere, authentic, likeable and direct. Kerry actually lost ground by appearing smarmy, fake, condescending, and a know-it-all. When you come right down to it, yeah people do think Kerry's a heck of a debater but when it comes to the bottom line the truth is he really doesn't share OUR VALUES. The debate tonight was very instructive. It illuminated very clearly the differences between the two men. There's Kerry with his liberal world view that says we are at command of the UN and the French and President Bush with a mainstream world view that says America defines its interests and defends herself. I don't doubt which of these two views most Americans prefer. After all is said and done, this isn't a liberal country. Kerry may be a smooth liar but he doesn't have the gonads to tell people who he is and what he believes in. That's all we need to know in making our decision about next Commander In Chief. And it won't be a close call.

[Howlin]

This is a free opportunity to have 45 minutes to drive home YOUR message to YOUR supporters. You talk to YOUR supporters and YOU deliver the messages that YOU have determined YOU want to deliver.

Bless you!

[Blowtorch]

The President also avoided bashing and let Kerry come across as the attack dog. Note that he went right back to speaking to his base out in the heartland.

I think Bush was advised to focus on primarily addressing the American people and not Kerry's attacks. This is in line with your observations. However, I can't help but think that Bush went too far that way...He missed real opportunities to refute Kerry's lies. However, everyone already knows Kerry is a liar, so it may not matter.

I think in the upcoming days people will look back at the debate and see that Bush is like one of us and talks to us, while Kerry just derides and lies, derides and lies.