Debate No. 2. -- We have a new President.
I enjoyed Debate No. 2 very much. Kerry kept Bush on the defensive.
After the debate, I channel surfed, including NBC, CBS (briefly, you can have Dan Rather; I have never be able to accept his being the heir apparent to and the best CBS could come up with after Walter Cronkite; for me he is like Al Gore, I just don't care for the guy; but I digress), PBS and ABC. All missed the key lines are far as I was concerned.
Could you believe Bush said:
-- Taking Suddam Hussein out was unpopular.
-- People love America, but not our judgment.
-- I committed our troops as a last resort.
-- That answer almost makes me want to scowl (I can believe he said it; he handlers told him to say it. He just said it at the wrong time).
I could go on. Bush did much better also.
And the questions -- on a scale of 1 to 10 -- were about a 12.
Kerry has some high moments, some very high moments, e.g. the role of the military and the President, among others.
But more than just one thing, it was Kerry's comfort with the questions, his demeanor, his knowledge of the issues, his not being wound up ready to give a sound bite, his knowing when not to correct the President (as Edwards did not when Cheney said the two had never met. This was just Cheney's saying boy, I am bigshot, you, you are nothing. For Kerry to have cited chapter and verse about what made Cheney either a liar or mistaken, would have shifted resentment toward an inappropriate comment to an ill-conceived response, and yes, I digress yet again).
Although not perfect, Kerry did good, very good. Had I been undecided (and other lawyers will tell you a forte of mine is being able to understand all sides and stand in the shoes of my opponent), last night would have persuaded me. Although I still might not be 100% sold on Kerry, I would be willing to give him a chance to clean up Bush's mess.
Kerry still hasn't given me the comfort level that I would want to have a beer with the guy when all is graveyard talk, no cameras around, etc., something many would die to do with Clinton; to want to go running with him as I would with Bush.
But Presidential, yes. Bush, though doing fine last night, made me think about the Peter Principle.
If Kerry during the next round can keep has answers succinct, quit when its time to quit even if he has time to go as he did last night, then my friends, last night we got a new President.
And although when making perdictions the smart guys will throw in a little caveat, such as so many things can change between now and then (and they can), I say my prediction remains even if we capture bin Laden. Short of Kerry screwing up (one of his real specialities prior to around the time of his visit with Mr. Clinton), what we saw last night confirmed what we thought.
It's time for a change.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
After the debate, I channel surfed, including NBC, CBS (briefly, you can have Dan Rather; I have never be able to accept his being the heir apparent to and the best CBS could come up with after Walter Cronkite; for me he is like Al Gore, I just don't care for the guy; but I digress), PBS and ABC. All missed the key lines are far as I was concerned.
Could you believe Bush said:
-- Taking Suddam Hussein out was unpopular.
-- People love America, but not our judgment.
-- I committed our troops as a last resort.
-- That answer almost makes me want to scowl (I can believe he said it; he handlers told him to say it. He just said it at the wrong time).
I could go on. Bush did much better also.
And the questions -- on a scale of 1 to 10 -- were about a 12.
Kerry has some high moments, some very high moments, e.g. the role of the military and the President, among others.
But more than just one thing, it was Kerry's comfort with the questions, his demeanor, his knowledge of the issues, his not being wound up ready to give a sound bite, his knowing when not to correct the President (as Edwards did not when Cheney said the two had never met. This was just Cheney's saying boy, I am bigshot, you, you are nothing. For Kerry to have cited chapter and verse about what made Cheney either a liar or mistaken, would have shifted resentment toward an inappropriate comment to an ill-conceived response, and yes, I digress yet again).
Although not perfect, Kerry did good, very good. Had I been undecided (and other lawyers will tell you a forte of mine is being able to understand all sides and stand in the shoes of my opponent), last night would have persuaded me. Although I still might not be 100% sold on Kerry, I would be willing to give him a chance to clean up Bush's mess.
Kerry still hasn't given me the comfort level that I would want to have a beer with the guy when all is graveyard talk, no cameras around, etc., something many would die to do with Clinton; to want to go running with him as I would with Bush.
But Presidential, yes. Bush, though doing fine last night, made me think about the Peter Principle.
If Kerry during the next round can keep has answers succinct, quit when its time to quit even if he has time to go as he did last night, then my friends, last night we got a new President.
And although when making perdictions the smart guys will throw in a little caveat, such as so many things can change between now and then (and they can), I say my prediction remains even if we capture bin Laden. Short of Kerry screwing up (one of his real specialities prior to around the time of his visit with Mr. Clinton), what we saw last night confirmed what we thought.
It's time for a change.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 8:52 AM
2 Comments:
I concur. What's funny is Kerry was the guy who sounded experienced to me. But I digress...
Rather following Kronkite was a little like Ray Perkins trying to take the reigns from the Bear, eh? Big shoes to fill. Despite the colossal screw-up with the documents, I still like Rather better than Peter Jennings. Probably not better than Brokaw though.
I was more offended by Bush's Supreme Court remark than any other, when he said something along the lines of "And I'd want them to vote for me". Clearly a failed attempt at humor and a good indication of where his head is at. My stepfather calls Bush the "little banty rooster", and last night he played every bit the part. --Mel
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