Posted on 10/01/2004 8:53:40 PM PDT by Enlightiator
Sept. 30, 2004 - Presidential Debate - Lehrer's Questions
Based on transcript at: http://www.katu.com/printstory.asp?ID=71504
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LEHRER: Good evening, Mr. President, Senator Kerry.
As determined by a coin toss, the first question goes to you, Senator Kerry. You have two minutes.
Do you believe you could do a better job than President Bush in preventing another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States?
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President, two minutes.
Do you believe the election of Senator Kerry on November the 2nd would increase the chances of the U.S. being hit by another 9/11-type terrorist attack? [Loaded question. Note how different the 9/11 issue question was phrased for Kerry above compared to this one for Bush.]
LEHRER: New question, two minutes, Senator Kerry.
Colossal misjudgments. What colossal misjudgments, in your opinion, has President Bush made in these areas? [Note: - This "new" question for Kerry is a follow-up to a point in Kerry's just completed rebuttal, in which Kerry stated "this president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment." This effectively allows Kerry to elaborate on his previous comments for another two minutes with no loss in continuity and Lehrer places Bush in the position of having to defend.]
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President. Two minutes.
What about Senator Kerry's point, the comparison he drew between the priorities of going after Osama bin Laden and going after Saddam Hussein? [Note: Lehrer's "new" question is a follow-up question for Bush of a point Kerry made in his previous response. Again, Bush is forced to defend by Lehrer.]
LEHRER: We'll come back to Iraq in a moment. But I want to come back to where I began, on homeland security. This is a two-minute new question, Senator Kerry.
As president, what would you do, specifically, in addition to or differently to increase the homeland security of the United States than what President Bush is doing?
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President. Two minutes.
What criteria would you use to determine when to start bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq?
LEHRER: All right, new question. Two minutes, Senator Kerry.
Speaking of Vietnam, you spoke to Congress in 1971, after you came back from Vietnam, and you said, quote, How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? Are Americans now dying in Iraq for a mistake? [A question for Kerry, but Bush will be again be forced to defend, since he sent the troops to Iraq].
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President, two minutes.
You have said there was a, quote, miscalculation, of what the conditions would be in post-war Iraq. What was the miscalculation, and how did it happen? [Note: Lehrer is apparently quoting the President from a time prior to the debate, this is not something the President said in the debate prior to this question. Bush indicated that this was not an accurate quote of what he said in his reply. Again, Bush put on the defensive by Lehrer.]
LEHRER: New question. Senator Kerry, two minutes.
You just -- you've repeatedly accused President Bush -- not here tonight, but elsewhere before -- of not telling the truth about Iraq, essentially of lying to the American people about Iraq. Give us some examples of what you consider to be his not telling the truth. [Incredible, Lehrer opens the door wide open for Kerry to attack and Bush must continue to defend.]
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President. Two minutes.
Has the war in Iraq been worth the cost of American lives, 1,052 as of today? [Lehrer has passed way over the line of fairness at this point, with his quoting the exact number of lives lost on the day of the debate.]
LEHRER: Speaking of your plan, new question, Senator Kerry. Two minutes. Can you give us specifics, in terms of a scenario, time lines, et cetera, for ending major U.S. military involvement in Iraq? [Note: Lehrer is referring to Kerry's previous debate discussion of his plan for Iraq.]
LEHRER: Mr. President, new question. Two minutes.
Does the Iraq experience make it more likely or less likely that you would take the United States into another preemptive military action? [Another loaded question. "Another?"]
LEHRER: New question. Two minutes, Senator Kerry.
What is your position on the whole concept of preemptive war?
LEHRER: New question, Mr. President.
Do you believe that diplomacy and sanctions can resolve the nuclear problems with North Korea and Iran? Take them in any order you would like.
[Debate goes off format for Lehrer's follow-up questions for both candidates.]
LEHRER: I want to make sure -- yes, sir -- but in this one minute, I want to make sure that we understand -- the people watching understand the differences between the two of you on this. You want to continue the multinational talks, correct?
LEHRER: New question, two minutes.
Senator Kerry, you mentioned Darfur, the Darfur region of Sudan. Fifty thousand people have already died in that area. More than a million are homeless. And it's been labeled an act of ongoing genocide. Yet neither one of you or anyone else connected with your campaigns or your administration that I can find has discussed the possibility of sending in troops. Why not? [Tough question for Kerry, but it’s a question phrased as an indictment of both Bush and Kerry.]
LEHRER: New question, President Bush.
Clearly, as we have heard, major policy differences between the two of you. Are there also underlying character issues that you believe, that you believe are serious enough to deny Senator Kerry the job as commander in chief of the United States?
LEHRER: New question, two minutes, Senator Kerry.
If you are elected president, what will you take to that office thinking is the single most serious threat to the national security to the United States?
[Debate goes off format for Lehrer's follow-up questions for both candidates.]
LEHRER: Just for this one-minute discussion here, just for whatever seconds it takes: So it's correct to say, that if somebody is listening to this, that both of you agree, if you're reelected, Mr. President, and if you are elected, the single most serious threat you believe, both of you believe, is nuclear proliferation?
LEHRER: All right. Mr. President, this is the last question. And two minutes.
It's a new subject -- new question, and it has to do with President Putin and Russia. Did you misjudge him or are you -- do you feel that what he is doing in the name of antiterrorism by changing some democratic processes is OK?
[Debate goes off format again as Lehrer asks follow-up questions for both candidates.]
LEHRER: Well, but when he used the word truth again...
BUSH: Pardon me?
LEHRER: ... talking about the truth of the matter. He used the word truth again. Did that raise any hackles with you?
BUSH: Oh, I'm a pretty calm guy. I don't take it personally.
LEHRER: OK. All right.
Bush and Kerry respond.
LEHRER: All right, that brings us to closing statements.
Kerry closing statement.
Bush closing statement.
Great analysis!
Ronald Reagan: “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."
John Kerry: “America is not the solution to terrorism, America is the terrorist."
This one?
Speaking of Vietnam, you spoke to Congress in 1971, after you came back from Vietnam, and you said, quote, How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? Are Americans now dying in Iraq for a mistake?
No wonder W was irritated!
Great point, I would have loved to see Kerry go up against Ronald Regan. Talk about butt raking, Kerry wouldn't have been able to sit down for a month.
For the life of me I cannot understand how the Bush camp would allow that well known, far out, liberal jerk the time of day.....let alone handle the first and very important "debate".
Yeah... and it almost seems as if Kerry had the questions ahead of time.
Newt or Rummy could have batted the tough questions back in Kerry's face.
Bush better start preparing better.
Geez, I have heard some great stump speeches of Bush's that articulately and forcefully answer most of the questions put to him. Couldn't he at least regurgitate these.
Sysiphus
I agree, I especially loved Rummy's comments that go something like this: There are known knowns and there are unknown knowns and then there are known unknowns and finally there are unknown unknowns. Maybe Rummy can coach GWB to do better.
Knew it when I heard it - just not 'why'and specifics. . .but you clearly make the case. . .
The Dems have been gloating how GW was on the 'defensive'; wonder how many thank-you notes Leher will get from the Kerry team for his contribution.
If the Repubs do not pull CBS's Schiffer; on principle. . .then they will deserve what they get.
Wondering as well, who is helping Charlie Gibson with HIS questions. . .
I think he did, because when he (Kerry) was thanking everyone at the very beginning, he started babbling about something and said, (paraphrasing)' We'll talk more about that later'...how did he know what they were going to talk about later?
Anybody catch this?
Great, great job, E. You've spent a lot of time on this and I appreciate it.
I can tell it's been bugging you all day long!
How were the moderators selected?
Oh, man, that IS scary.
"Ronald Reagan: “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."
Which is why I was angry that Bush's 9-11 response was the creation of more gov't (Homeland Security)
Excellent job pointing out blatant bias!!
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