FR Live Thread: Bush Kerry - First Debate - Thread 2 - Here we go!

[Admin Moderator]

Thread 1 - Pre-Debate discussion

[GodBlesBush]

The reason it seemed like Kerry Spoke longer was because he was so difficult to follow and understand what his position is. The only time he made sense was when he attacked the president and he did that constantly. He put Bush on the defensive and Bush had alot of openings he didn't take. I believe Kerry has already lost the race but Bush could have delivered a knock out blow instead of a TKO tonight had he attacked on Kerry's flip flops and non sense.

[COURAGE]

I agree. Remember that all the MSM polls showed that Gore won all the debates in 2000. At the end, it will not matter.

Boy, the Grim FReeper Club has grown!

[prairiebreeze]

"Creative"?

LOL! What a generous critique of the Senator's bald faced lies.

Prairie

[silent_jonny]

My fellow Freepers have worked themselves into a tizzy. Calm down. Take a deep breath. I was just as eager to see a dramatic Hollywood style "gotcha" moment from Bush to Kerry as anyone. But those things hardly ever happen in real life. And we're still far from the finish line.

Remember--and sleep well on this fact tonight--there is one major obstacle standing between Kerry and the White House. That obstacle's name is Hillary. And she will NOT let this "man" anywhere near what she covets most--absolute power. Of course, President Bush and we the voters have a great deal more to say about it than she does, but rest assured, Hillary is sharpening her knives.

I mean, seriously, wouldn't you drop a load if you saw this running toward you?

[Yaelle]

2. Kerry said he've give Iran nuclear fuel

What was the context of this? I amy have missed it due to putting kids to bed...

[Howlin]

So did I.....so did I.

But none other than Tim Russert and Tom Brokaw said Bush did what he needed to do and that Kerry STILL doesn't have a plan.

And Brian Williams stood in the spin room and read off a list of LIES Kerry told during the debate.

He said that Kerry's $200,000,000 number is Iraq is WAY off......it's closer to $119,000,000.

And he said that the Iran sanctions WERE in place when Bush got into office -- unlike what Kerry said.

I was freaking about 10:30 believe me......but the more I listen, the better I'm feeling.

Remember, we KNEW how Bush would be.....and Kerry needed a home run....he didn't get it.

And the more they look at his "facts" and his "plan" it's not good for him.

Even my niece who knows next to nothing thought all Kerry did was talk about how bad Bush was, not about what he would do.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Peggy Noonah is giving some interesting comments.

[concerned about politics]

George W. Bush won that debate

Other than let the UN deal with it, Kerry said nothing.

[Cold Heat]

I think it is a matter of expectations.

Kerry is a excellent debater. Bush cannot beat him at this game. No way, no how.

Kerry pivots on a dime and can blow your mind with complete paragraphs of bullcrap that is not even on point, but sounds intelligent.

Kerry was not on top of his game tonite because Bush forced him to defend himself. That was the strategy to keep Kerry off balance and it worked for the most part. Kerry did have some good moments, but those were on the original question, which he was prepared for. He did not do well on the rebuttals to Bush's statements.

I was really surprised that Bush did as well as he did, to be honest about it.

This is really Kerry's game.

[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.

[riri]

As I said in an earlier post, it is clear that Kerry had the questions ahead of time. He even admitted to that fact when he indicated, with certainty, that he would finish his answer when the [future] question on homeland security came up later in the debate.

Interesting catch, I do recall that.

Well, I am feeling a little more optimistic as it appears people did catch on that no one knows what this secret master plan is, but apparently is in it's entirety on his web site.

[nopardons]

On FOX? No,they absolutely did not give it to Kerry! Either you weren't watching,or you're lying.

[JesseJane]

Late to the thread, but I was dissapointed and expected a knock out here too.

Bush could've used Kerry's 20 Senate record against him on so many responses, and didn't take the shot. Kerry on fully funding the military, homeland security, etc., but his record speaks otherwise. Anyway, it' was painful but agree with others here.. Bush didn't lose any ground, but didn't gain any, and Kerry was not made to answer questions but allowed to deflect to attack. Wish Bush would've said, Senator, what IS your plan? Bush felt compelled to repeat what we all already know, and the middle was still left uninformed about Kerry's past.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

I think someone needs to get Bush all riled up before the next two debates. When he finally hit his stride was when he got pissed off.

[Mo1]

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

IMO .. tonight was a draw and agree that Bush should have hammered Kerry on his lies .. but considering the time frame for a response, it not easy to do

However, tomorrow Kerry will be ripped apart for his lack of actual facts

Kerry lied left and right and some of his responses where .. well very scary

Like .. Iraq was a threat, but that's not the issue

[YaYa123]

I think the general immediate concensus is that Kerry did better than expected, and so he will be declared the winner. BUT dear friends, by the time the polls are taken, people will have heard how many lies Kerry told tonight.

The fact checkers are already out on CNN with David Ensoir, and MSNBC with Brian Williams. I've never seen this before, when the immediate action taken by the networks is to question the facts stated. They're doing it because of Kerry's history of flip-flopping, his basic dishonesty in explaining even his own personal beliefs.

[Gunder]

"This is really Kerry's game."

On that we agree.

[Havoc]

I know. What was on my mind is - wasn't he out helping in Florida today.. I am not commenting on the right or wrong of him being tired or knocking him for it. I simply think he looked a little tired and if he was, it may account for some of what happened. Others can draw judgements on that, I'm just noting my observations.

[Howlin]

I saw that!! Fact checking; imagine that........LOL.

[Just mythoughts]

"We in this house all thought Bush won but conceded Kerry did well stylistically. I submit that many an American thought by the end--perhaps just subliminally--that they would not care to spend the next four years listening to or looking at Kerry."


I watched the debate alone. By the end of JFKerry second answer I was incredulous at the man's inability to speak truth. By the end of the debate JFKerry became as much an eminent threat to the US as the killer terrorist.