i cant think: Debates 2004 Round One

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September 30, 2004

Debates 2004 Round One - Kerry 1 Bush 0

The first round of the 2004 Presidential Debates are behind us, and the spin-meisters are already hard at work trying to outdo the Coriolis Effect.

In watching the after commentary we are struck by how forcefully the major media are spinning the debate as neutral; no knockout punch, no new ground covered. While we may perhaps agree that there was no real knockout punch delivered (depending, of course, on one's definition of knockout punch), we do believe that Kerry gained some major ground in several respects while President Bush did little more than repeat sound-bites.

There were at least two encounters that we came away from the debates with the thought that Kerry had put Bush on the ropes. The first was Bush's assertion that we had attacked the enemy in response to the enemy's attack on us. In doing so while answering in the context of a question on Iraq, Bush left the clear impression that we attacked Iraq in direct response to the attack on the World Trade Center. This is clearly wrong. We know who attacked the Trade Center, and we know that they were agents of Al-Qaeda and not agents of Saddam Hussein. The Commission on 9/11, after a long and exhaustive investigation into the events, could find no evidence that Iraq was connected to the attack.

The second came when Jim Lehrer asked both men to state the most important issue in the world as they see it. Kerry quickly and decisively responded with the issue of nuclear proliferation, providing clear and precise examples of why he felt that way and what he would do about it if elected. Bush, instead of taking the opportunity to turn the debate back to what is clearly his number one concern, terrorism, instead chose to go toe-to-toe with Kerry and suddenly adopt nuclear proliferation as his number one priority. Bush was clearly stumbling at that point, and could offer no real reasons for taking that position. He was clearly caught off-guard and unprepared by the issue.

In Bush's favor, it can be said that he remained on point to an almost obsessive degree. We lost count of how many times he repeated that the War on Terrorism is "hard work." Or of how many times he found an opportunity to use the word "freedom," as if by simply spreading freedom all the world's ills would be vanquished. While we applaud Bush's steadfastness, we also tend to get the impression that this is a man with a very limited vocabulary who is unable to think clearly, scientifically and objectively. Once again we cannot help but be reminded of the political slogans that were so pervasive in George Orwell's seminal political work "1984." War is Peace. Ignorance is Strength. Shiny on the surface, but meaningless and contradictory underneath.

Kerry, on the other hand, came off as poised, polished, and, dare we say it, more Presidential. The off-camera shots almost always showed Bush as upset and frustrated, smirking in a patronizing way when confronted with an opposing viewpoint. Kerry seemed to understand that he was on-camera at all times and never appeared ruffled or patronizing.

We are sure that after tonight the race will become very interesting, with much fun to be had watching two men who obviously know that now is the time to press the attack. Stay tuned for round two. And don't forget to register to vote; there are only a few days left.

Posted by bcoffee at September 30, 2004 11:16 PM