[Howlin]

Actually, it may not have been that bad; Bush talked to his base and I'm sure he held them.

He is what he is.

I don't think Bush could have BEAT Kerry tonight.......but Kerry didn't win anything; people I have talked to who aren't politicos like us are telling me that Kerry was an empty suit, just bashing Bush.

[zook]

Phil Hendrie thinks Bush won on substance. Good commentary going on right now on his syndicated radio show.

[ArmyBratCutie]

President Bush is sometimes a little wandering - but he has made all the points he needs to already.. he didnt do great but JKerry didnt knock him out, so it was pretty lame all together...
WOOHOO
4 more years!! amen!!
all my friends watching tonight say Bush by 7pts in Nov !!
President Bush was himself tonight....hes never been a great speaker, thats NOTHING new, but hes a GREAT PRESIDENT!!

[sheikdetailfeather]

Dick Morris said the other night on Fox that Kerry must have a plan for Iraq and not just come out and bash Bush all night. I think that is why Kerry flopped tonight.

[jeltz25]

A few points about the debate:

1. By now, people should realize that the president isn't a great speaker. He's not like a Chirstopher Hitchens or other pundit that'll make these great rhetorical flourishes

2. Kerry said he've give Iran nuclear fuel-that alone should disqualify him for office

3. His inconsistency over coalition in Iraq and unilateralism in NK was disturbing

4. It's funny that now he waxes poetic about how bad the CCCP and Communism when he took the opposite aproach in Nam and his meeting with Ortega

5. He said he'll never falter or waver yet when he got 3 minor injuries in Nam, he bailed out and went on to rip his fellow soldiers

All in all, I think Bush did ok and held the fort. it wasn't a knockout, but I don't think it was bad enough that he lost ground

[sinkspur]

Howlin, maybe I set my expectations too high. I wanted Bush to put Kerry away tonight, and he could have. My God, on the Sudan question, Bush could have said "Senator, why on earth should we send troops into Sudan, when you question why we sent them in against a dictator who was harboring terrorists?"

As to WMDs, Bush NEVER pointed out that intelligence agencies from every country in the world thought Hussein had WMDs. Even Clinton thought he had them.

Maybe I'm overreacting, but we've got a race on our hands now, and we could lose this thing.

[A Citizen Reporter]

Tommy Franks is coming up on Hannity and Colmes. Wait for him to smash Kerry allegation that the President pulled the troops out from under him in Afghanistan.

I'm reading Franks' book right now, "American Soldier". It's fantastic, and you'd never know it but he ALSO was in Vietnam!