:: Thursday, October 14, 2004 ::

When did Dubya learn "litany"?

While watching the debates last night, I was impressed by how effectively Bush's folks prepared him for the debate. I am no fan of Dubya but there were times when he bordered on eloquent (well maybe that's an "ex-ag-er-a-tion" but at least fairly well-spoken. His strongest point was definitely when asked about his relationship to his wife and daughters. It was a rare moment when he actually seemed to speak from the heart and since this was the last question before closing statements, I'm a bit concerned by the impression it left. As a rabid anti-Republican and fervently anti-Bush (jr and sr) Democrat, I was chilled by my feelings towards his statements. If I didn't know and believe what I do about Bush, I would have been compelled by his discussion of his wife and daughters. On the other hand, Kerry's response to the same question seemed to lack the heartfelt resonance that I would hope for. I am, perhaps, exaggerating the impact that the one statement can have on an audience, but it still concerns me that the undecided voter might find this side of Bush compelling. And, since it was one of the last statements made, it has a stronger influence on the lasting impression of the audience. Of course the smirk/sneer smile that Bush wore for most of the evening certainly left a negative impression, while I think Kerry maintained a serious yet kind look throughout. Okay, I'm just afraid of four more years of the Bush regime.

In spite of Bush's "moment of glory," I think that Kerry was the more convincing candidate overall and would consider it a "win" for his campaign. Kerry is an amazingly skillful public speaker and one who has been clearly trained to be well-prepared and eloquent. Although there were moments where I cringed (there always are), it was usually over minor aspects probably overlooked by someone who was not sitting on the edge of her couch yelling at the television screen.

Here are a few of my debate observations:

Kerry was so well-informed about Missouri in the last debate and also seemed to be well-informed about Arizona last night that I was surprised that Bush didn't mention anything about Arizona. It seemed to me that Bush's folks would have taken a cue from Kerry and prepared him similarly. Although he may not have the same ability to remember numbers and I suppose that no information is better than incorrect information.

When did Dubya learn the word "litany"? C'mon, are we really supposed to buy that?

Kerry was, as usual, amazingly well-prepared and well-informed. If the elections were decided on debates alone, Kerry would be the victor, hands down.

:: Cat 9:36 AM [+] ::
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