Comments on: And the Winner Is…

By: screwtape

screwtape — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Unfortunately, what will matter more is how the outcome is spun over the next week. I think Karl was planning for that far more than the debate since it matters so much more.

By: ian

ian — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I can’t see how they can spin this in any meaningful way. Kerry really looked good and was on point.

By: matt d

matt d — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think the Bushies strategy was simple: Don’t let him say too much. Granted, interest in this debate is much higher than in recent elections, but the tendency is for the vast majority of viewers to tune out after the first half hour. So, if he ran out of steam after 30 minutes and just repeated himself for the rest of the debate, it really doesn’t matter because the quotes still look good on the evening news.

These debates aren’t scored, they’re spun.

By: btezra

btezra — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

~the opening paragraph had me laughing, almost gasping for air, then you threw in “Bush looked like a petulant child who was trying to convince his parents that he didn’t break a window” and you could not be closer to the truth/reality of last night…Kerry looked more Presidential last night, did not ‘ramble on’ as he had a tendency to do in the past, his answers were concise, to the point and actually answered questions put forth to him, Bush on the other hand dodged and ran from answering most if not all the questions put forth, relying on repetition and playing on the fears of the viewers, his go it alone strategy is a loser, his failed actions in Iraq are looming large, and his commending Kerry for his service downplayed any bullshit lies about his service in Vietnam that have caused him harm in the pools. The split screens of the two of them revealed a perturbed Bush, an anxious man with no poise. He truly lost the visual portion of the debate, the audible part was never in question…I CANNOT WAIT for the domestic policy debate, the final stake in the heart of his re-selection hopes and dreams. Xlnt post, as always~

*wonder what the odds are in Vegas NOW on Bush pulling bin Laden out of his hat just before the election

By: Will

Will — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Concerning Bush’s strategy (at least for the first part of the “debate”), I thought the he must have trained with the lights in mind. When he was given any amount of time to respond, he would stumble with his elocution as he is wont to do, but once the green light went on, he changed his presentation. He tried to look directly into the camera forcefully, implement some sort of gesture, then spewed some sort of a soundbite statement. The purpose seemed to be, delay his response to limit any possible mistakes, and at the green light stick to the campaign rhetoric soundbites.

I thought that they must have figured that most people, especially his supporters, would ignore the previous stumbling and just be impressed by his forceful rendering of the soundbite. I actually thought he must have rehearsed it. Green light, GO!

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

At this point, I want to trust in ABC political correspondant George Stephananaotuaghapghagalois who said that even though the poll said the debate did little to change people’s minds, there are lots of folks out there who didn’t yet know who John Kerry was or what he stood for.

Ultimately, Kerry won the debate and said things we’ve been dying for him to say——that last bit about being certain and being wrong was important, I just wish he’d said it this way:

There’s a difference between being someone who wavers and someone who contemplates major decisions, a difference between being arrogant, smug and hard-headed and being patient and thoughtful. It’s much more important to have a leader who does the latter.

I also think it was extremely significant to see Bush in the split screen while Kerry was talking. Much of the time Bush looked perturbed, even angry. People need to see that. It’s the only glimpse we ever get of his petulant side; it’s the only time we really see how he behaves in the moment, and it’s telling.

What has to happen now is that Kerry builds on this, and if he really mashes Bush in the next one, and we might just see movement in the polls.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Kerry was the clear winner. My one concern (and growing with every mindless blog or article I see) is that Kerry didn’t ‘dumb down’ his answers enough for a majority of the people watching. You had to actually THINK about his answers and his points – which we sadly know many people in this country are not prone to doing. Are there honestly people that think Bush’s “Because I said so.” policy is a good one? That think the rest of the world should just ‘fall in line’ with his wishes like we have? Nice fantasy, except the rest of the world isn’t as easy to fool as we obviously are. And viewing Bush’s performance last night – is this the man you want speaking on your behalf to leaders of other nations? I think it’s time we had someone with a brain in office, not just an ego.

By: Karl

Karl — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Just found your blog on a surf from Pie’s web page and wanted to say thank you for your insight. It’s been a pleasure to read what you have to say.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You nailed it!

By: hiphopmusic.com

hiphopmusic.com — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Other Takes on the Debate
I didn’t want to get my hopes up, cuz I always keep myself in an assume-the-worst posture during these elections, but I guess we now have a consensus that Bush got straight Roy-Jonesed last night. Even Limbaugh is totally conceding…