Posted on 09/30/2004 7:41:42 PM PDT by Mobilemitter
In your opinion, how did the debates go? Did Kerry get the upperhand (yeah right) or did Bush come out strong?
Also, was it just me, or did Kerry seem a little too prepared for those questions? Kerry usually trips over himself whenever he has to answer something, but he glided through this.
Not that any of this matters. Kerry is going to be screwed by something else soon. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe something from John O'Neill. Maybe from somewhere else. But there is something on the horizon for Kerry. I can feel it. And I have a very strong feeling Bush knows what it is already.
The President's stradegy is pretty much the same as it was against Gore in 2000. Let Kerry attack, attack, attack, because that's what he does. President Bush kept his cool, stayed calm, stood his ground and let the people see that they are attack dogs, (and IMHO along with the help of the moderator and the obvious fact that Kerry had the questions in hand before the debate).
I think he did fine.
I'm just frustrated because the President missed at least 10 opportunities to end the Kerry campaign, and because (god bless him) Bush behind a podium is just painfull to watch.
But upon further reflection and all things considered.... Bush did pretty good !
It's just so frickin hard to get past Bush's pauses and deer in the headlight moments :(
Predident Reagan got spanked by Mondale in the first 1984 debate too and the rest is history. I think we are lucky that most of the country got bored and tuned out.
W made sense in the debates, Kerry said a lot of unrelated nonsense. Maybe it will sink in and work for W.
But Kerry spoke of essential giving up, while acting the fighter.
Dubya spoke of a successfull no holds bar war, while acting reserved and meek.
Old adage is that the sqeaky wheel gets the grease, and that Dubya didn't .
He did miss a few opportunities to deliver a knockout punch.
That and Bush was running against him.
Bush came off as a real down home honest person. Kerry came off as an elitist critic. The average undecided viewer is going to move now to Bush. All the posting here is about stuff that does not matter at all.
I counted a good 5 or 6 times when Bush could've buried Kerry and failed to do so. I now need a new television set due to my insisting to hurl my dinner at the television every time the ball was dropped. Lurch came out on top. Hopefully W can make a better effort for the next two. I would say hopefully Cheney can do better in his debate but i'm pretty sure Cheney is gonna embaress Mr. Edwards.
sKerry: "whine, whine.... Bush bad, Bush bad.....I can do better.... I have a plan (?) oh, and I was in the war....I know better... yad yada yada blah blah..."
Bush: "we are fighting terrorists on their turf .... bringing freedom to middle east.... defending America.... defeating terrorists..... trying to defuse nukelar threat... I am resolved.... I will continue to follow course and not send mixed signals and waiver... I want your vote of confidence for 4 more..." Amen!
SKerry more presentable debater about same old wafling crap - Dubya solid defender and fighter for America.
Who you gona vote for? Wafling POS or real commander?
FR rocks, way slow Eh?
FReeper Leo
Exactly. Bush had to debate two people, not just one. Why did the Bush team agree to Lehrer as a moderator? Hopefully they will have learned their lesson for 2008.
Have a drink and get a hold of yourself, man. I agree Bush could (and should) have put in a better performance tonight but I don't think it's quite the catastrophe you're making it out to be. The country's had 4 years of this president. Those who have come over to his side in the past few months already know he's not the Henry Higgins of speech makers. They're going to vote for him because of his record. Effin was glib and smooth and I think he may finally see his "bounce", but I don't think it's going to be substantial enough or last long enough to win the election.
lol. I think you might be right.
I think kerry looked pompous and that might have screwed him some. Bush just looked like a guy who was up there saying honest stuff instead of lawyer poppycock.
Also kerry did the lick lips thing alot.
Kerrys face looked better than it usually does..I mean it was orange a few days ago for crying out loud. I think it was all set up to make him look halfway decent.
*sigh* I only got home in time to see the last 10 minutes, but I must admit kerry was very calm and collected. I really do pray that bush will shine in the next two debates. HE needs our prayers. I hope he is relaxed and calm and positive while kerry is negative and nasty.
"A couple of soldiers in Wisconsin told me, we need you Sen. Kerry."
Yah, okay, that settles it for me then...
What a doofus.
Bush won tonight because he got Kerry to make a major gaffe: the global test. It is all you will remember from this debate in ten days.
I agree with you. The only worry I have is that those that are undecided at this moment and would choose the first debate as the deciding factor as their vote for Bush or Kerry would probably veer in the direction of kerry. I felt that Kerry "commanded" the event. (sigh). Partly due to the superficial factors of the side by side camera views of the candidates which made Bush look "smaller". Kerry suprisingly came across as more presidential. One pundit said that Bush seemed tired. I also agree with your point about the bias of the camera angles. I felt that Bush was put on the defense. Unfortunately I was suprised not how badly Bush did but by how well Kerry came across.
You are wrong.
Bush REALLY HELD BACK .What does he have to loose by saying on public TV that the UN is a fraud , US hating DO NOTHING body of socialist ..Why didnt he mention that France already said they wont help us with troops, Kerry or not...I mean , who the hell prepped Bush tonight ?..I could have debated Kerry better..I though Bush said NOTHING but repeated a few simplistic slogansand stuttered and stammered the rest of the time .He let A LOT slide by him.. He look beat , he stumbled and said UGHH UGHHH UGHHH 100 times.Like he couldnt put 2 thoughts together..We're doomed..It was his to lose and I believe he did tonight ..Polls will reflect it for sure.
Beautifully said. This is the main jist I got out of Kerry tonight as well. I knew he felt this way, but he actually surprised me at how forthrightly he ADMITS that one of his main goals is to get "respect" from other countries. And that he would openly admit that he would shut down our nuclear program... Think of the weakness that would open within our country. Talk about threatening our way of life!
Stay the way you are; you are wiser than most of the FReepers twice and three times your age.
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