Debate Wrap-Up (Various Sources and Commentary)

various | 01 October 2004

[Lando Lincoln]

Debate Wrap-Up

Debate Reviews:
Tom Bevan, RealClearPolitics - "I don't think there is any question that John Kerry helped himself with his performance tonight. Just how much, and how much it may matter in the polls is a different story altogether."
Mickey Kaus, Slate- "Kerry won. I assume everyone is saying this. He not only was shockingly succinct and sharp...he managed to gloss over all his problems."
Hugh Hewitt, Hughhewitt.com - "Overall: Bush gets a big win, by hiting all his messages over and over again. He wins on substance."
Andrew Sullivan, Andrewsullivan.com - "Kerry has to gain, I think. At the very least, this was a draw on the president's most favorable turf."
Robert Novak, CNN- "Kerry blundered in talking about "passing a global test" for preemptive action -- and Bush called him on it."
Josh Marshall, Talkingpointsmemo.com - "If President Bush's current lead is built not upon confidence in him or his policies but in a simple belief that Kerry isn't solid enough to be president, then I think this performance could help Kerry a good deal."
Paul Begala, CNN - "Bottom line: Kerry looked more presidential than the president did."
John Hinderaker, Powerline - "I don't think it went that well for the President. I think Kerry helped himself tonight.."
Jim Geraghty, Kerry Spot - "No bounce for either side out of this. This evening's comments just reinforced the messages that came out of each party's convention."
Kevin Drum, Washington Monthly - "Neither candidate made any huge mistakes...Bush's performance was mediocre...Kerry did pretty well."

[Lando Lincoln]

Are other FReepers uneasy about this? Since Kerry exceeded expectations, it seems to me that the media will (and is) trumpet this to the masses. That's where the real effect will be felt.

Lando

[freepertoo]

Not worried.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

He only exceeded expectations because expectations were so low.

Everyone gets excited when a dead man sits up.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Kerry : Help is on the way!
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[Chad Fairbanks]

I like cheese.

[antivenom]

JF'inK...was flip flopping all over "International Affairs"...he was Mr' Need the World's approval and have a WORLD coalition to make ANY decision kind of guy"...BUT when it comes to N. Korea...we have to BLOW off GW's 6 country coalition and become Bi-Lateral according to JF'inK...

Kerry is a joke...he can't agree on any conviction because he is TOO caught up in being "Anti-Bush"...

[stevem]

What's to worry about. With the build up, if Kerry didn't start drooling or sit on the floor and suck his thumb he exceeded expectations.

The key to the city will be the polls including the one poll that counts. I doubt any of these dueling infomercials will alter a single vote.

[Pox]

I see no reason to be "uneasy" about anything at this point.

I was under the impression that there had to be a decisive blow made by Kerry in order to give him any chance at all of winning the election, and it just wasn't there.

Undoubtedly, President Bush could have done much better, and most here would have been much happier with a performance by President Bush that would have buried Kerry once and for all, but the format of this debate pretty much guaranteed that it wasn't going to happen, IMO.

What we got, IMO, was simply more of the same that we have heard for months now from both sides.

[Ravi]

I think the markets shooting up this morning may mean that there's a sigh of relief that Bush didn't get killed last nite. If Kerry won on points, that's fine but he didn't seem to change any minds or very few from what I've gathered. I think the markets have reacted to that or unless there's some other piece of economic data that caused them to shoot up this morning.

[lolhelp]

you are right even tho he didn't quite look alive.
I thought his wife wanted to leave with the Bushes, he had to call her back twice and then lead her off.

[Congressman Billybob]

It is a new world. The people no longer are driven in their decisions by what the MSM tell them to believe. On their own, the people will support Bush. It's as simple as that. Click below.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "And the Debate Winner is -- Lemony Snicket"

If you haven't already joined the anti-CFR effort, please click here.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

She was probalby pleading to be saved.

[lolhelp]

I didn't think he look quite alive.
His wife looked like she wanted to leave with the Bush family, he had to call her back twice and then led her off.

[jpl]

I'm not worried, though I'm rather disappointed in the performance.

Bush was asked point-blank about Kerry's character, and he passed up the best chance to hit on the absolute core issue of just why Kerry is dishonest and shouldn't be trusted with the Presidency. Kerry has a twenty-year record in the Senate of voting against military programs and against the use of American force, which should give anyone good reason to wonder why we should believe that Kerry believes in "strengthening" America. And his testimony and behavior upon coming home from Vietnam just reinforces this. The actual life and record cannot be reconciled with the current rhetoric if you just put it out there for the people.

I like Bush, but he's just too nice for his own good most of the time. Zell Miller would have destroyed the guy.

[bigeasy_70118]

Everyone gets excited when a dead man sits up.

Hilarious. And so true. Earlier this week, there was an aura of inevitability surrounding the election, I think Kerry managed to show he has a pulse, so if I were a Dem, I'd be somewhat excited. However, the global test for pre-emptive war has to be the biggest gaffee in modern political history. Expect Cheney to hammer this point on Tues and it should be in EVERY political done by the RNC from now until the election.

I didn't think this was a great debate or you could see clear differences between these two men. I mean that gives Kerry too much credit. Bush has a position on Iraq. Kerry doesn't. I would use a football analogy to describe tonight's debate, Bush played a field position game and punted a lot, where Kerry did drive into Bush's territory but I thought he came away with a goose egg every time.

[Honor above all]

Sorry to be a wet blanket but Kerry APPEARED more prepared for the event than the President. Bush look flustered on several occasions and looked angry throughout the first half of the debate. He clearly hammered Kerry on the Global Test comment and he was on target throughout, but his performance was stilted at best. Unfortunately most of the undecided morons out there tend to be influenced by style and not substance. Mr. Bush needs to cream Kerry during the next two events which he is more than capable of doing.

[D-fendr]

Are other FReepers uneasy about this?

Not this one. Bush was Bush. Rarely a slickster in debate, but right on the issues, clear on his principles and values and strong in leadership.

Since Kerry exceeded expectations,

Not mine. He was a long winded flip flopper who doesn't trust in America. Same as always.

it seems to me that the media will (and is) trumpet this to the masses.

Well, duh. That's been the operational plan since the primaries.

That's where the real effect will be felt.

Yeppers, that's the conservatives burden. Spot the left 10 points for MSM cheerleading. Fortunately there are new fact checkers in town and the MSM's power is diminishing.

[Lando Lincoln]

Hey Chad......this will be a mysterious comment to most. But we understand, don't we? < /secret handshake>

Lando

[Honor above all]

Sorry about the poor formatting!!

[keysguy]

"the people are no longer driven in their decisions by what the MSM tells them to believe"

A very key statement here, basically this is what we and talk radio are all about alternatives to the spin/rat lies heard by the letter nets and the MSM presses.