[MichelleWSC]

I sincerely hope you're right. It gave me NO PLEASURE to post what I did about Bush. But I just remember 1992 so well and how I felt then -- feels familiar. I never expected Bush to be a polished speaker it's not his forte but Bush was bulldozed tonight.

And maybe the "global test' thing will prove a mistake but perception is what people vote on. Let me say again very strongly that Bush is the only person I'll be voting for and rooting for i just think the chances just got slimmer. The swing voters are looking for a reason to vote for Bush and he didn't deliver plain and simple.

Right or wrong the media is still a mighty powerful spin machine and they were the main reason Bush 41 was defeated. They won't spin this as a Bush loss but that Bush is not capable of handling complex situations that he's just not really up to the challenge. That maybe the war on terror is taking it's toll and the American people need someone who can think more coherently.

Mark my words that's what coming

[marajade]

"Right or wrong the media is still a mighty powerful spin machine and they were the main reason Bush 41 was defeated."

Ross Perot was the reason Bush Sr lost reelection. You're a troll.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Right or wrong the media is still a mighty powerful spin machine

I agree. BUT!!!! WE are more educated than we were four years ago. WE can turn this around WITHOUT that $%#$^%$^ media.

[goldstategop]

The MSM is in the tank for Kerry. They would have declared him the winner simply because they set the bar so low for him that he came out looking good. But looking good isn't enough and the MSM doesn't have the monopoly it used to have. There's the New Media and there's FR. We didn't have that in the 80s and we still did fine. The American people readily concede Kerry holds his own in a debate but they know he doesn't share THEIR VALUES. Kerry didn't connect with people trust me and he lost Middle America when he said America had to be held to a "Global Test." The American people are NOT voting for Kofi Annan's Under-Secretary, the role Kerry seems to be lusting after. As I said, President Bush is not a gifted speaker. But he sincere and authentic and that's a lot more than can be said for his opponent. I defy you to name me ONE positive reason Kerry offered to swing voters tonight to elect him the next POTUS. I rest my case.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hope you saw Sen McCain!!!

Made some terrific points on President Bush's performance tonight!

[conservative in nyc]

President Bush did not get BULLDOZED in the debate. He held his own against repeated negative attacks from John Kerry. John Kerry made a lot of factual mistakes, on matters big and small. And that's Kerry's ultimate "nuanced" downfall --- he talks too much out of his rear end. Kerry may sound like he understands what he's talking about, but he doesn't. That will be pointed out in the coming days. For example:

-The cost of the war in Iraq so far has been far less than $200,000,000;
-Kerry told another story about places in the Soviet Union where he couldn't have been;
-Kerry has said that the administration has LIED on Iraq on numerous occasions, despite his protestations to the contrary; and
-The New York City subways were NEVER closed as a result of the RNC. ALL New York subways ran normally, and even stopped at Penn Station, underneath Madison Square Garden. He was thinking of BOSTON, which is run by a timid Democrat.

Sure, the President missed a couple of opportunities to hammer Kerry on his Senate record. He should have used Zell's list of programs Kerry wanted cut to prove Kerry is weak on defense. He should have said that he has always had a plan on Iraq and outlined the broader war on terror.

But the President did okay. That's all that matters. He's leading in the polls. Nothing from this debate will change that.

[fortheDeclaration]

Mark my words that's what coming

Well, American mothers are going to put the lives of their children in the hands of French mothers?

No, 'global testing' will never be accepted by the US.

The Democratic base likes it, but the American people, including those 'swing voters' are going to opt for a man who is going to defend them first and not worry about getting permission from the Germans and French to do so.