Posted on 10/02/2004 4:13:43 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
President Bush on Saturday ridiculed what he called the "Kerry doctrine" as a dangerous outsourcing of America's security, seeking to poke a hole in Sen. John Kerry's debate performance with what advisers see as his rival's biggest miscue.
"When he laid out the Kerry doctrine, he said that America has to pass a global test before we can use American troops to defend ourselves," Bush said, drawing loud boos from a friendly crowd at a National Association of Home Builders meeting and later from campaign-assembled audiences in Mansfield and the Akron suburb of Cuyahoga Falls.
"When our country is in danger, it is not the president's job to take an international poll, the president's job is to defend America," Bush said.
In the debate, Kerry said he supported the right of a president to order a pre-emptive strike to protect the country but, he added, it must pass "the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing, and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons."
[...]
Two days after a debate that focused on the Iraq war and the anti-terror-battle, the stated theme of Bush's 27th visit to this battleground state was his economic record and plan to encourage an "ownership society."
Bush's agenda includes partial privatization of Social Security, tax-deductible personal accounts to cover health care expenses, and proposals to increase homeownership. Bush cast Kerry as a friend to big government who is obstructing such proposals that would provide Americans with "more freedom and more control over your own life."
"Instead, his agenda focuses on expanding the scope and power of government," Bush said in Columbus. "He's decided to put his faith in the wisdom of the government. I will always put my faith in the wisdom of the American people."
Where were these lines Thursday night? He had MONTHS to come up with tons of devastating retorts and dropped the ball in front of 50 million viewers...what a shame!
As soon as I heard the "Global Test" remark I knew it could be easily used against Kerry. Hopefully there is a commercial in production as we speak.
Kerry is largely clueless on foreign policy issues although I would like to see us get the 500 tons of highly enriched uranium and 35 tons of weapons-grade plutonium off the street or converted to MOX more expediently.
Guess he needs them written for him. Really, I was disgusted with his performance. How he allowed Kerry to get away with numerous comments with no effective response and pointing out Kerry's hypocrisy and pathetic record, is beyond me. And Kerry gets away with looking like a winner even though I'm sure people would have no clue what to say when asked what exactly Kerry will do. Bush looked horrible, sounded horrible and, quite frankly, didn't even seem to be paying much attention.
The right to defend oneself is as American as apple pie. The Idea to get approval before we can defend ourselves is just not American, and besides that it has the feel of having to get approval from the family to have sex with your wife. Likewise Jimmys Carters Idea to have international monitors at our elections is like having family watch.
And it was even worse than 50 million-it was 60 million viewers.
Speaking of Kerry's own words, here is a link to:
The ulitimate John Kerry ad.It is hilarious, but it points out the very serious contradictions of Kerry's comments.
Stick a sock in it.
He was taken aback by Lehrers questions, more statements formed into personal attacks on Bush.
He was kindly trying to find a way to answer the questions without giving the left the opportunity to fault him for "avoiding" the "questions" put to him by Lehrer.
From the looks of it, Bush doesn't need the left attacking him, does he?
Anyone who has been listening over the last few weeks at the very least know where he stands and that he is honest and truthful. And that includes the librals.
Get out and vote.
Who he ... his? What's up with pronouns? After the second sentence, I, Cobra64, determined that you, Bushfamfan were referring to John Kerry. Too many folks speak in the Sean Hannity, manner and flipfrom 18 differing topics with little less than saying "he" or "she". And, no one, has a clue whaere the topic is going, nor than who said what about where, when, or why.
Good to know that Bush is trying to get out what didn't come out of the debate.
What scares me is that people watching the debate are gonna go on gut instinct and decide that Kerry sounded and acted more presidential. If Bush gives two more awful performances like Thursday night I'm afraid he's going back to Crawford on January 20, and our country will have sealed its' doom when that Massachusetts snobby liberal takes the oath of office. I hope the Bush team called the Reagan people to get tips on how they were able to get President Reagan to recover from his first debate debacle in 1984. Look folks I'm trying to stay positive, but the former liberal in me is now worried. I know how my former party acts and I really fear they may have a real shot in this election after all. They will steal votes and the media will go into overdrive to convince the uninformed people out there that Kerry is the man.
Kerry did something a lot of folks didn't think he would do, instead of sticking to a few supportable facts and talking points, he was like a machine gun: spitting out sensationalized charges ("body armor", "took resources from Iraq", "200 billion dollars diverted from social programs", etc) and backing them with "facts" and "citations" (however bogus). As I watched the tone and tenor of his performance I was reminded of the Dick Cavett Show "debates" he had with Mr. O'Neill (later of "Swift-Boat Vets" fame). Kerry was more scholarly and thoughtful, as he was on the Cavett Show. In fact looking at him on the stump since the debate is like watching two different guys: in front of the usual Lefty suspects he's back to his old histrionic (and boring) self.
I live in New York and will vote for Bush even though he stuck a sock in it in the debate. He let Kerry get away with too much and has allowed Kerry back into this race. Look at the Newsweek poll. The media will keep pushing it because Bush is unable to challenge them.
You know damn well who I'm referring to. Bush looked pathetic in that debate. Now watch the polls that will be coming out. The election cannot come here fast enough.
Damn I'm good. I saw the commercial this morning on ABC!!!
I, Cobra64 agrees that George W. Bush appeared to the audience in the debate last Thursday as weak. Personally, Cobra64 thought that President Bush did a terrific job. I think that President Bush should have been bore agressive towards Senator Kerry. I, Cobra, plan on sending emails to Carl Rove and Ed Guillespie (sp?) on this topic. My point is that communicators need to attempt to remove pronouns in a written or verbal dialogue. Regards from Cobra64.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.