Kerry's Cheat Sheet is irrelevant. America's new reality is...

[angus]

your judeo-christian allusions aside, the point is well taken.  And I don't disagree with anything you have said here.  I guess the question is, given that Badnarik has made it on your state's ballot (not an easy thing to do!), are you getting soft on Bush?  That's a very personal question, I know, so don't feel pressed to answer in such a public forum.  I only ask because I'm genuinely curious as to how one extremely lousy performance could shake your previously solid commitment to seeing Bush reelected.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

angus,

No, I am still voting for Bush, I just hope I am wrong about Bush. 

But very indication, IMO, points to a person that is not being challenged, either by his advisors or himself.  After all, how could a leader who was constantly reexamining the facts, as he should be, not be able to formulate a response to the question "Can you name one mistake you have made"?

[Nym90]

angus,

No, I am still voting for Bush, I just hope I am wrong about Bush. 

But very indication, IMO, points to a person that is not being challenged, either by his advisors or himself.  After all, how could a leader who was constantly reexamining the facts, as he should be, not be able to formulate a response to the question "Can you name one mistake you have made"?

I think that's the key--Bush doesn't reexamine the facts. He picks a path and then never looks back. That's both good and bad depending on the circumstances, but given the complexity of many of our current problems in this country I think it's more bad than good at this time.

[ThePrezMex]

Hey JMFCST,
I wanted to congratulate you for really posting thoughtful and intelligent pieces here, not like others.

[angus]

jmfcst,
yeah, that about sums it up.  he really looked out of it, same thing happened to his old man in 1992.  Foreign policy didn't have the same shape, not exactly, and the economy was gearing up for a decade-long secular Bull Market, but generally many elements are the same.  Bush the Elder looked out of touch and unable to to appear gracious or even remotely interested.  (remember the grocery question?  remember the watch?)  Folks who might have voted for him went to Perot.  The younger bush looked very much uninterested and a bit lazy last thursday.  (I agree that the fatigue isn't a legitimate excuse.)   And he appears unable to admit mistakes.   That strength of conviction that he's so famous for didn't keep him from admiting mistakes, though some are trying to explain it all away in that fashion.  You and I know that's b.s.  In fact, I didn't see any evidence of that strength at all.  I'll just repeat that he and his handlers have quite a bit of work to do before the next one, which will focus more on domestic issues, and therefore be a potentially greater distraction.  (1992 all over again?  Wouldn't want the Bush dynasty to become mere bookends for a celebrated 2-volume Clintonian legacy, would we?)

I don't know whether you're into this sort of thing, but there'll be an on-line analysis of the vp debate tomorrow.  watch this spot:
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/04/kaiser_100604.htm

[12th Doctor]

So Bush had one bad debate.  So what?  I underpreform all of the time.

Forgetting your audience has nothing to do with having a bad debate.  Bush forgot about the 300 million people he was leading.

We, as followers,  have a right to ask Bush to demonstrate his competence to us.  Moses asked the One he was following, "Show me your glory", but all I asked of Bush Thursday night was "Show me how you have matured in office." 

Bush responded by forgetting not only about me and the other 300M Americans, he forgot about the Troops, he forgot who he was, he forgot his job.

I understand what you are saying, I just think you are being to drastic.  Did you see the O'Reilly interveiw?  Bush certainly didn't forget his audience in that interview.  Granted, it's not the same, but you need to take into account that Bush did have some pretty good perfomances before the debate.  That is why we were all so exited.  Cause we thought Bush was going to kick Kerry's can.

Bush's performance cannot be just excused.  I grant you that.  But it should not be used as a tell all about who he is.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

...We have a president who:

1) Can't speak on his feet
2) Can't formulate a complete thought
3) Forgets who his audience is
4) Can't control his emotions for 90 minutes
5) Has not argued with himself
5) ...and obvious does not have advisors that remotely challenge his intellect.

Funny how Cheney passed all those tests with flying colors.

[Democratic Hawk]

...We have a president who:

1) Can't speak on his feet
2) Can't formulate a complete thought
3) Forgets who his audience is
4) Can't control his emotions for 90 minutes
5) Has not argued with himself
5) ...and obvious does not have advisors that remotely challenge his intellect.

Funny how Cheney passed all those tests with flying colors.

He did indeed! Cheney did a much better job of defending Bush's record than Bush did, which begs the question as to whether is the power behind the throne or simply just  more capable than the President?

I think the vast majority of Republicans would have been well pleased with Cheney last night.

Dave

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

which begs the question as to whether is the power behind the throne or simply just  more capable than the President?

At this point, I'm just thankful Cheney is there.

[Nym90]

which begs the question as to whether is the power behind the throne or simply just  more capable than the President?

At this point, I'm just thankful Cheney is there.

I'm thankful Cheney isn't the nominee for President. :-)

Cheney won the debate, though not by as large a margin as Kerry did last Thursday. That, combined with the fact that people don't vote for VP means that the chances of this actually affecting the race are slim to none, and I just saw Slim walk out the door.