Posted on 10/01/2004 8:51:49 PM PDT by Pikamax
Reaction Shots May Tell Tale of Debate Bush's Scowls Compared to Gore's Sighs By Dana Milbank Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, October 2, 2004; Page A10
ALLENTOWN, Pa., Oct. 1 -- As Democratic nominee John F. Kerry criticized President Bush in Thursday night's presidential debate, Bush scowled, squinted, clenched his jaw and appeared disgusted as he hunched over his lectern -- images that were beamed into millions of American homes.
The episode was reminiscent of the first debate of the 2000 presidential campaign, when Al Gore's loud and pained sighs made the Democrat appear contemptuous and condescending, turning what could have been a victory for Gore into a political debacle for him. On Thursday night, it was Bush's aggravated demeanor that contributed to the impression that Kerry won the debate.
Body language can be more descriptive than actual language in presidential debates. No line from the 1960 debate was as memorable as Richard M. Nixon's perspiration. And President George H.W. Bush's glance at his wristwatch during the 1992 debate has endured beyond that night's words.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
stop posting Washington Compost crap
Especially anything by Milbank, one of the most partisan reporters there is under the guise of neutral reporting. I agree - we don't need this ****.
after all the crap Kerry has said about about Pres. Bush, I'm surprised Bush didn't drop the F-Bomb
This is a stretch at best. Hearing Gore sigh in the background is a LONG way from watching Bush look disgusted at Kerry. I watched the DNC video piece. It didn't bother me at all.
Most people, who are honest, but undecided, will see this. They will see that there was substance to Bush's words, even though they were not as polished...and they will see the hollow nature of Kerry's plans.
Watch and see if they don't.
They are trying to Gore'ize Bush and it won't work. Favorable and unfavorable ratings play a role as well in what people perceive.
Facial expressions won't matter with Bush. Nada. Let'em try and then get frustrated.
Lest we forget; Fox news was in charge of the cameras...Im still mad at them..
Projection.
I was more bothered by Kerry's smug grin.
Or Kerry's bobbing head.
Milky Milbank is wrong. Most people in the country agree that Kerry's Bush bashing ways merit a look of irritation.
Bush had done nothing to earn Gore's sighs and condescension.
So simple, Dana missed the obvious.
I "watched" the debate on FR so I only had what people were telling me about Bush's "scowling".
Tonight I saw a montage of it on a cable show, and I have to say, it wasn't nearly as bad as it is described. IMO, I thought he just looked like a man who was concentrating, and had a lot of thoughts going through his mind that he could not express, for one reason or another. Probably that Kerry was clueless and he couldn't just out and say it. Also I'm sure lots of answers are not meant for the public ear, and while he knew those answers, he couldn't say them.
All in all, I didn't think his facial expressions as unattractive as everyone seems to think.
President Bush will always be more likable than Kerry, and a yak is more likeable than you, DANA MILBANK!
I thought there was a rule for the debate that cameras would only show the person speaking. I can't tell you how distracting it was to see them both on the split screen. Did the networks just ignore the rule? What happened?
Milbank should register as a 527.
And as Rush pointed out, the only thing they could come up with was the expression business. That's it. Not one thing that Bush said has been criticized.
Our side, on the other hand, has soundbites galore.
Global test, for example.
Kerry's hands were shaking. If you look at his hand gestures, especially early on, his hands are trembling.
Still shots are making headlines.
The partisan press strikes again.
Kerry is all style and no substance. To top it off he can't even tell truth, let alone a take a consistent stance without qualifying it in the same senctence. But, But, But ---But head.
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