I'm totally astonished watching the post-debate analysis on CNN. Candy Crowley, Jeff Greenfield and others saying that Kerry managed to shake his image as a vacillating flip flopper? Please. He did not. Bush won this debate handily. Three points:
1. Kerry looked like he was speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, not the American electorate. His language was tailored to an international audience. The American people don't care about creating alliances or hosting summits with other nations about rebuilding Iraq. They care about keeping America safe. Kerry just doesn't seem to get that. He does not understand that Americans are going to vote for the guy who is going to best protect their security, not the guy who is going to forge the greatest number of alliances.
2. Bush brilliantly reinforced Kerry's constant flip-flops on Iraq. At every opportunity, Bush reminded the audience that Kerry keeps sending "mixed messages" or the "wrong signal." Bush played the patrotism card and I'm certain it will work.
3. Jim Lehrer did a poor job moderating, because he gave in too many times to the pressure to give the extra 30-second rebutall. And almost every time, Bush used that opportunity to pound Kerry on his flip-flops. Lehrer was inadvertently complicit in Bush's strong performance.
Bush was totally on message, and I'll be interested to see the post-debate polling numbers.
Permance rating:
Bush: A-
Kerry: C
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 10:33 PM
