1st Debate results

[CARLHAYDEN]

Unless both Kerry provides a performance above average for Presidential debate participants AND Bush says something stupid, he's unlikely to make any headway in the polls or otherwise improve his electoral chances.

One of the things I'm wondering is if Kerry will tell another of his stories (what I call "kerryisms").  If he does, he can count on the story being carefully fact-checked.  If its partially (or totally) false, he's in deep 'do do' (to borrow Bush Seniors phraseology).

To borrow Vorlon's football analogy, its the fourth quarter, team Bush is ahead by a touchdown, they have the ball in team Kerry's terrritority and are grinding out yardage and time on the ground.

Team Kerry needs to force a fumble, pick up the ball and move with it.

Coach Rove has an experienced and confident team with a proven quarterback.  

Team Kerry has been highly erratic in the past few games, there is dissention on the team (many of whom belonged to other teams until recently recruited) and their quarterback is rattled.

Team Bush has been having a consistent running game while team Kerry keeps trying different plays as nothing seems to have been working.

[AuH2O]

Kerry will have some zingers prepared- he did against Weld, but the caricature he has become will make it impossible to deliver them without looking like an asshole.

In other words, he can't tell Bush something like "I'm surprised you would say that except at confessional" or whatever.

Impressions have already been created pretty well, the debate will be viewed through that prism. Kerry really is out of touch, which is why he can't win.

I think he will be fairly aggressive, but not overly disrespectful (no sighs). I also think he will be MUCH more on edge than he was against Weld. Look for Bush to slowly wear him down, with more mistakes and inferior responses delivered late in the debate.

Bush is leading and is more confident in himself by nature.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

You guys haven't picked up on the party line....you're supposed to be downplaying expectations of your candidate, remember?!

[ATFFL]

You guys haven't picked up on the party line....you're supposed to be downplaying expectations of your candidate, remember?!

Only in the media.  

[CARLHAYDEN]

I don't follow a 'party line.'

In many ways I feel sorry for Kerry.

He's painted himself into a corner on national defense, foreign policy, terrorism and intelligence operations.

Any position he takes in the debate can be contrasted with an earlier (contradictory) position he has taken.

[??????????]

Whoever picked foreign policy as the subject for the first debate is a genius.

[qwerty]

Whoever picked foreign policy as the subject for the first debate is a genius.

I bet the Democrats wished they had a Karl Rove...

[??????????]

Whoever picked foreign policy as the subject for the first debate is a genius.

I bet the Democrats wished they had a Karl Rove...

I know! They are stuck with Krusty the Clown. lol

[CARLHAYDEN]

Hey, knock it off!

Krusty is somewhat funny.

Besides, he wasn't orange.

[Blue Rectangle]

Whoever picked foreign policy as the subject for the first debate is a genius.

Remember only four years ago when the foreign policy debate was supposed to finish Bush as a candidate?  Funny how things change.

[Bogart]

Barring a major gaffe on either side, this debate won't change much. Most people have already decided.

[Fritz]

According to Rasmussen, 17% are "persuadable" by the debates.

[DarthKosh]

According to Rasmussen, 17% are "persuadable" by the debates.

Please.