[SolomoninSouthDakota]

Thanks. I hope the average undecided will give the debate just a little reflection like it took for me to reach that conclusion. I did not like the way Pres. Bush looked so dismayed. However, like you said, the pressure must be enormous. He knows he must win for the good of GOOD!

[SlowBoat407]

For Kerry, it's power. For Bush, it's the fate of the world.

[ApesForEvolution]

JFnK played his base card (howard dean-like, lol) tonight and I think confused the HONESTLY UNDECIDED (which I don't believe there are any left btw) if anything. His Kumbaya crap is very transparent...

[Teacher317]

My take on what the average undecided took away from tonight:

• Kerry is good at debate-style argument,
• Bush looked far less confident than expected, (far too many longish pauses)
• Kerry was better-prepped,
• Bush "knows this job" and world leaders, (said it too often, though)
• Kerry is not a nice person,
• both were almost overly repetitive with their main themes,
• Kerry says he'd build a coalition but he insulted several world leaders tonight...

Overall:

• Kerry won solidly on style,
• Bush won marginally on substance, (in the average voters' eyes, not an informed and attentive FReeper's eyes, mind you)
• overall a tie on verbal jabs,
• another nudge for Kerry since he has been flailing in the polls and was looking like it would be over... most expected him to lose it all tonight. He breathed a bit of life into his campaign, at least until the next debate.

The next debate, Bush will be a more polished, but Kerry gets to argue domestic issues. Call it a tie. The last debate, Bush improves more, and takes a marginal victory, making it a 1-1-1 final score... However, with Bush improving each debate, Kerry is losing momentum yet again, and that continues through Nov 2.