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Friday, October 01, 2004

Non-baseball: It's Thursday night debates ya'll!

Boy, those first thirty minutes were hard to watch if you're a Bush supporter. Bush looked tired and confused. His fist several responses fell flat, as he kept hitting the "steadfast leadership" talking point. On the other hand, Kerry came out on fire (of course the early questions seemed tailor made for Kerry's talking points) and didn't give Bush much to work with. I watched those first minutes with a cringe, and I even left the room at one point.

But then I came back, and so did Bush. Surprisingly, Bush was at his best when talking about the finer points of policy- something I've never seen from him. I think he made Kerry look rather foolish on the Korea, Iran, and Darfur questions, though even on those he failed to go in for the kill. That was really a pattern throughout the night. Kerry walked into several possible knockout blows, but the President couldn't pull the trigger.

An example; When asked "What 'misjudgments' has Bush made?"
Kerry: "...And Iraq is not even the center of the focus of the war on terror.

"The center is Afghanistan, where, incidentally, there were more Americans killed last year than the year before; where the opium production is 75 percent of the world's opium production; where 40 to 60 percent of the economy of Afghanistan is based on opium; where the elections have been postponed three times..."

Bush: "My opponent looked at the same intelligence I looked at and declared in 2002 that Saddam Hussein was a grave threat.

He also said in December of 2003 that anyone who doubts that the world is safer without Saddam Hussein does not have the judgment to be president.

I agree with him. The world is better off without Saddam Hussein."

What Bush should have said: "That response shows that my opponent doesn't understand the size or scope of the war on terror. Yes, Afghanistan is one of the front lines of the war on terror. So is Iraq. As is Iran and Saudi Arabia. And the Philippines, Indonesia, Canada, and Mexico. And Washington DC, Shanksville, Penn., and Manhattan. A man who clearly doesn't understand this war is not fit to lead it."
There were several moments like that when I was screaming at my television, but I guess he didn't hear me. The President's inability to take advantage of Kerry's multiple mis-steps was downright shameful. God bless him, he just not a very bright man- and never was that more clear than last night. At the same time, I suppose you have to give him credit for not walking into any traps of his own. That may have been his strategy (or is it strategery?)- keep it conservative, don't mess up, play for a draw- but I doubt it.

Kerry meanwhile was very calm and composed. His responses were clearly spoken, if not clearly reasoned (both bilateral and multilateral talks with North Korea? C'mon John, you get enough flack for taking both sides of every issue without doing it in the same sentence.) and that was the perfect contrast to the President's frequent stammering and long................ pauses.

Now for the grades:
Style:
Kerry: A-. He was clear and collected, but as I said before, he walked himself into several traps that he managed to escape unharmed.

Bush: C. This isn't going to do the President any favors when it comes to criticism of his intelligence. His frequent stutters and pauses looked awful in contrast to Kerry. He also looked rather peeved at times, but I liked that.
Content:
Kerry: C+. Confirmed all the complaints about his candidacy- long on complaints, short on ideas. He offered nothing to suggest he was better suited to handle Iraq or the War on Terror, instead focusing on the President's mistakes. Also, attempting to fight the "flip-flopper" label at this point is rather pointless.

Bush: B. Anyone who was worried that the President doesn't have a factual grasp on foreign policy should have been pleased. He did well on the North Korea, Iran, and Darfur questions, and took a lot of time disputing some of Kerry's points, which was good.
Overall:
Kerry: B.

Bush: C+.
Kerry definitely won. Hands down. Was it the rout he needed to turn the election in his favor? I doubt it. Both sides should be pleased; this will stop Kerry's slide and tighten the race, and Bush didn't make any egregious errors that would have given Kerry the kind of win he needed. Remember, going in a 'draw' was as good as a win for Bush, and that's pretty much what he got, in that this should have little effect on the election.

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