Third Presidential Debate?

[Makalakumu]

So, how did you think it went? The focus on domestic policy, in my opinion, was a truly refreshing break from the focus on Iraq. I found myself truly excited by this debate.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I thought it was tomorow night...damn! >_<

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I'm not making this up...

Did anybody notice the glob of slobber at the corner of Bush's mouth? His right, our left. It slayed me. My wife couldn't see it, and I couldn't ignore it. He looked like he was foaming at the mouth at one point. You could tell his mouth was rrrreeeally dry. If you looked carefully you could see it gumming up inside his mouth.

Probably the Depacote.

Anyway...Kerry took it again. Bush stammered and slammed the lecturn. At least he stood straight and didn't lean on the lecturn. There were times I thought he was strong, but I think Kerry did far better. Bush's ripostes were weak.

Trying to demonize Kerry by bringing up Ted Kennedy's name was silly...as later he said he'd shown he could work with Ted Kennedy. He went after Kerry crudely in the attack compared to Kerry's elegantly phrased criticisms of him ("I regret this President...". Kerry complimented Bush's wife and complimented the President for being a good father...I thought that was classy. He said in the first debate that Laura Bush was a great "First Lady". Bush, to my recall, never said one thing positive about Kerry in any of the debates.

But that gob of spit was just too much. I loved it.


Regards,


Steve

 

[michaeledward]

"Buggy and Horse"


"Pay-Go"


Ba-Bye!


In the words of Ann Richards ... "Poor George, he was born with a silver foot in his mouth.".


MSNBC instapoll ... Kerry 85 - Bush 15
MSNBC Instapoll ... Now ... Kerry 76 Bush 24

P.S.
Bob ... I'm sure CSPAN is re-running the debate right now.

P.P.S. - Did anyone else notice Michael J Fox seated next to Teresa Heinz Kerry?

P.P.P.S. --- CBS Instapoll -- Kerry 84 - Bush 15 - Draw 1

 

[Tkang_TKD]

I thought the debate was pretty good. I thought for the most part that Kerry was the more polished speaker, and for the most part he had better command of the facts. There was one exception, in that he continues to quote the negative job numbers at 1.6 million, when it's really about half that.

Maybe that's a small detail, because it's still a sizable number. Overall, I think Kerry nominally won it, or it was a tie. Bush seemed more polished than the last two debates, but his rebuttals were extremely weak, and smacked of begging for the people to believe his answer.

Perhaps the most entertaining thing was the viewer responses on CSPAN. The seemed to take the calls only from the idiots and the religiously zealous (on both sides of the political spectrum).

It's weird but I've seen only the first debate has having a clear cut winner, but overall I still think it was Kerry in a sweep (Knockout, split-decision, split-decision).

 

[GAB]

Hi all,

Yes I noticed Michael Fox also.

I thought the remark by Kerry, about his wife being the best of the batch was tacky, and so did the President.

I will bet that did more to hurt him (kerry), but then we will not know until election day.

I think it was closer then the polls are indicating. We are such a gulible group we can be swayed pretty easily.

The far right is really a major player in this one.

TV is interested in the best performance of the candidates, I am interested in who they can appoint and who they will become, to chummy with.

Regards, Gary

 

[michaeledward]

I thought the remark by Kerry, about his wife being the best of the batch was tacky, and so did the President.

I will bet that did more to hurt him (kerry), but then we will not know until election day.

Senator Kerry should not make attempts at humor. <chuckle>

Although, I heard the comment differently than you. I thought the Senator said that all three men (Bush, Schieffer, Kerry) "Married Up". And from the look on The President's face, maybe that he didn't understand the term. Then, I thought Kerry indicated that he 'Married Up' futher than the other two. If you look at the term in economic factors, I think his statement is undisputably true. I think, the self-deprication in the comment might be missed.

Full Disclosure - My wife is prettier, smarter and makes more money than me - I married up.


Post Script ... I was just reading through the Viewer Comments on CNN.com. Many of the comments seemed to come from people who didn't see the same debate as me. The divide in how Americans see these debates is amazing. Comments like : "Once again the media has "misunderestimated" President Bush. Former Gov. Bush proved himself fully conversant on domestic issues tonight." Just don't seem connected to what I saw on the screen. Now, I know that both parties sent messages to their loyalists to send in comments, call talk radio, vote in instant non-scientific polling. I think those three pages of notes indicate the Republicans did so in a more organized fashion. ... My two cents.

 

[Makalakumu]

I find the rhetoric concerning Kerry's comments on the VPs family interesting. On the Left you hear that this comment is fair because a Gay Marriage Amendment would directly affect people associated with the administration. On the Right you hear that the comment was a cheap shot low blow...

Since when is being gay cheap and low? That is what it comes down to. People are acting as if this is something that should be secret. When, in fact, there is nothing wrong with being gay. This is a legitimate issue and the sooner the Right stops treating it like something filthy, the sooner we can talk about equal rights for everyone.

It reminds me very much about how people with mental retardation used to be treated (and in many cases still are treated). Families didn't talk about people with these conditions because they were embarrassed that it would somehow make them less. The issue is the same with homosexuality, except more so. Nearly 1/10 lean in that direction. That means that in our families, there probably exists a person who is gay. This is not some filthy secret. It is reality and these people are human. We need to talk about this as a country.

In my opinion, gay rights is the new civil rights movement in this country. I'm glad Kerry brought it to the forefront for just a little while. I think that he could have done it better, though. Perhaps by pointing out people who are attached to him first than he could have avoided all of the political manuevering.

upnorthkyosa

 

[kenpo tiger]

This was certainly the best-moderated debate. I do have one question. When they were discussing borders, the prez seemed to think that the only one that counts is the Texas border. Don't we have western, eastern, northern borders too? And how about the rest of the southern border, including the port of Miami?Mr. Bush came off like a country bumpkin.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

I could see no serious debate at all.

 

[heretic888]

Nearly 1/10 lean in that direction. That means that in our families, there probably exists a person who is gay. This is not some filthy secret.

Not to go off-topic, upnorthkyosa, but the "10%" numbers commonly cited are grossly inaccurate. This has been discussed before, and I think it was something like 1.5 to 2% of all men and .5 to 1% of all women. That is hardly "nearly 1/10".

Okay, back on-topic...

 

[loki09789]

This was certainly the best-moderated debate. I do have one question. When they were discussing borders, the prez seemed to think that the only one that counts is the Texas border. Don't we have western, eastern, northern borders too? And how about the rest of the southern border, including the port of Miami?Mr. Bush came off like a country bumpkin.

This was a moment when 'talking from your personal knowledge' created an egocentric impression (NOT BUSH!) as a Texan first and foremost... some reference to USA borders other than Texasa as the star would have left a better impression.

Local prof's from Canesius college called it a draw. Neither decisively won or lost.

Tend to agree. Each had moments but not really a big swing.

 

[Feisty Mouse]

I didn't get to see it - Tai Chi was calling me - but I did tape it, and hope to watch it tonight.

I *did* catch the reference to Cheney's daughter. i thought it was apt. You'd only consider it "low" if you truly believed being gay, or having a gay fmaily member, is shameful.

 

[kenpo tiger]

Feisty,

I agree with your statement and would like to add that I feel Mr. Kerry has been nothing except gracious in his comments to and about Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney. I think Mr. Bush just doesn't understand what Mr. Kerry is saying sometimes because of nuance - see my statement above re: bumpkin. KT

 

[Makalakumu]

Not to go off-topic, upnorthkyosa, but the "10%" numbers commonly cited are grossly inaccurate. This has been discussed before, and I think it was something like 1.5 to 2% of all men and .5 to 1% of all women. That is hardly "nearly 1/10".

Okay, back on-topic...

This was the statistic printed in my Human Relations text in college. I guess its all in how you count and who you count...back on topic.