[COURAGE]

Kerry did gaffed, the "Global Test' thing.

Boy, the Grim FReeper Club grew!

[kingattax]

if you listened to Freddy on the post-debate show with Brit

on Fox it sounded like we might as well coronate the

ketchup king now and forget Nov 2. him and Bill Kristol...

what a couple of useless putzoids.

[Fatalis]

With Bush, there's a kind of mystique that most reporters and commentators in Washington don't understand. They still believe the president is a bumpkin. Kerry, on the other hand, is persuasive in the Washington sense, arguing his case knowledgeably with a specific or two. So were Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. When Bush connects with voters, the media feels blindsided. Whatever Bush does to reach the public, the press rarely notices.

Zappp!

[MEG33]

Amen!

[Casloy]

Perhaps it is worth noting that by every estimate Reagan lost his first debate to Walter Mondale in 1984. Even Reagan's handlers conceded Reagan looked old, tired, and out of touch. The election that year was the biggest electoral landslide in history.

[Eva]

Did you read the article on Opinion Journal about Bush's hometown newspaper? It was extremely interesting because it is just another example of the left's hypocrisy. Apparently the founder of the newspaper is a horrible racist and bigot. He not only hated Christians but Blacks as well, and some on the left love to quote him. I think that article might get better attention tomorrow, though.

[FairOpinion]

Finally a sensible assessment.

And then if you consider this:

Lehrer Stacks Deck Against Bush
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1232043/posts

I think everything considered, Bush has done remarkably well.

[Vision]

So the first Bush-Kerry face-off will go down as largely uneventful, like most debates in a presidential campaign.

Kerry's performance here will go down in history as the greatest BS act I've ever seen. A man void of stance, sounding as if he is God himself showing you the way.

[Reagan Man]

The debate was a draw.

While John Kerry put the President on the defense tonight in debate #1 and while the President lacked a certain fire in the belly in many of his responses, the Senator didn't specifically explain what his policy would be with regards to Iraq, if he became POTUS. Also, Kerry didn't adequately explain what his policy is on the overall WoT.

Attacking the President is fine, if you offer legitimate alternatives to his actual policy. In tonights debate, Kerry offered no substantive alternative. Except to say he would work to get the UN, France, Germany and Russia more involved in Iraq. I've got news for ya Senator. The UN, France, Germany and Russia weren't there when America needed them early on and there is no evidence they would get involved at this late date.

[DB]

Bush missed several critical opportunities.

After Kerry went on about how soldiers were having to buy their own body armor and how terrible that was Bush should have responded, "then why didn't you vote for the $87 billion to buy them body armor senator?"

More of the same with N. Korea and Iran.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

As usual , Freddie B. nails it perfectly.

Too many Freepers tonight are "Doom and Gloom" for some reason. Bush did pretty damn good in the debate.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

(Bush's) points seemed rooted in his experience in the White House, while Kerry's statements often came across as theoretical or abstract.

Fred is spot on here.

[TheLion]

Kerry mentioned "The Plan" seventeen times during the debate. The man with a plan. Too bad he hasn't shared it with anyone.

[Salvation]

**there aren't enough committed folks to defeat Bush on November 2. The first debate didn't change that.**

Thank goodness!

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

"Not enough" is being kind. All the hoopla and even the idiot, Bill Kristol, saying that Kerry showed himself up for the job of CiC (gag!!!!!) disgusts me.

What did Kerry do that was any different than he's done all along? What qualified him to "win" the debate?

Nothing new but a few hundred more hand gestures and the open palm against his chest a zillion times. Was that supposed to depict passion?

Sheeesh. I must live in a different universe than most everyone else.

[Mike Darancette]

Thing is --- Bush is probably over 50% already.

[John Lenin]

I really think Kerry lost bigtime tonight, on the biggest issues Bush handed Kerry his head. Kerry scored a few style points but Bush gave better answers to almost every question. I notice that AP and Reuters are being very cautious on saying Kerry won tonight. He lost bigtime and now it is up to the Bush team to point it out.

[LibertarianInExile]

Now I feel better. Barnes is a legit critic. Had to get throughout the cries of "THE SKY IS FALLING!" on here to find out the truth.

Kerry adds more flips and flops. More lies. Only now the press is national, not local, and every lie is instantly caught. This ain't the Massachusetts Senate Race, F'in. This is the White House. You don't get to lie anymore, not after Danny Boy got crucified for it.

You're going down faster than "the NYC subway."

[Jenya]

So sad to say, but I think Bush was off his game. He didn't bomb by any means, but he didn't really deliver. I think he was tired. He looked tired. A lot of people have trouble with composing their thoughts when they're exhausted. I know I do. He had the posture of a tired man too.

I watched his interview with the Bloviator this week, and Bush did great. He looked well rested, and gave crisp answers.

Two more to go. He'll nail sKerry's ass the next time.

[lawgirl]

Kerry, on the other hand, is persuasive in the Washington sense, arguing his case knowledgeably with a specific or two

Because Washington=lawyers.