Well, looks like Deano spared me the trouble of finding a bunch of interesting post-debate links. Here's one more, though: an interactive view from the New York Times.
Virtually no one is claiming Bush won the debate. He looked tense at best, testy at worst. Kerry clearly looked more presidential, which matters a lot. He was articulate, confident, in command of the issues. His best moment was countering Bush's tired claim that his "certainty" is what makes him the man for the job. "It's one thing to be certain, but you can be certain and you can be wrong," said Kerry. "Certainty sometimes gets you into trouble."
The most jaw-dropping moment was when Bush claimed he went to war with Iraq because "the enemy attacked us." Sorry, but not a single Iraqi was among the 9/11 hijackers. Kerry didn't miss that opening: "The president just said something extraordinarily revealing and, frankly, very important, in this debate. . . Saddam Hussein didn't attack us. Osama bin Laden attacked us. Al Qaeda attacked us." No minor detail, that. Comparing Bush unfavorably to his father was another compelling remark by Kerry, who noted that the elder Bush was too smart to try occupying Iraq.
Bush has been slammed recently as out of touch. Last night, he looked physically weak. And yes, the Smirk is back. People have mistaken it for smugness, but it's more a sign of exasperation at having to defend his actions as president; that's when the Smirk reappears -- and last night it did, often -- as if an attempt to convey certainty when he can't muster facts to explain why he's so sure he's right. Yesterday he looked literally foggy, as if he was on beta-blockers or something stronger. His slurred words last night and again on the stump today leave the impression that he's plain tired and not up to the task of winning this election. One thing's for sure: He can't win the next two matches with Kerry if he keeps relying on the lazy applause lines that might wow hand-picked attendees of his fake town halls but sink with a thud on the debate floor.
Meanwhile, Kerry has hit his stride. His remarks today showed him full of confidence and, by all reports, the Democratic base is fired up as it hasn't been since the convention in Boston. Last night he looked like someone who can make us proud of our Executive branch again. More than half of the undecideds who viewed the debate said they came away more impressed by Kerry than they had been beforehand. He's again seized the late-stage momentum, just as against Weld in '96.
PS: How on Earth can there be a 90-minute foreign policy debate with virtually no mention of Israel and none of Palestine?
MOO-lahs.
Posted by: deano at October 1, 2004 07:18 PMWhat, no bikini pic?
The 'certainty' part also came at a telling point in the debate. It was in the final half-hour and came at about the same time when Bush hit the wall. Afterward, he seemed spent. And Kerry was just hitting his stride.
Which goes to show all those earlier long-winded speeches Kerry was infamous for, were actually excellent stanima training for this debate!
And add one more Bushism to the pile: MOO-ahs.
Posted by: deano at October 1, 2004 07:18 PM