Debate notes

After the Kerry campaign played up the idea that Bush was trying to minimize his expectations in the debate, Kerry came in and won the lower expectations game. The popular view was that the Bush team scored a victory in getting the first debate to be about foreign policy, and that this was Bush's strong point and Kerry's weak point. By the time Kerry thanked Jim Lehrer for hosting the debate he won, and it was all thanks to Republicans. The Kerry campaign didn't even have to work this.

President Bush delivered a knockout punch on Kerry's Iraq plans that few or no one seems to be mentioning. Kerry's big plan for Iraq is the bring in other nations. Period. That's it, folks. Bush questioned how Kerry would accomplish this when he'd be saying to these other nations, "Please join us for this grand diversion. Join us in the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time." BAM! Kerry's Iraq policy just hit the floor after being knocked out. I don't just blame the media for not bringing up this point, but the President's supporters as well.

Bush didn't attack Kerry on specifics as much as I'd have liked, and in my view it made Bush seem less confident and knowledgeable than I know him to be (as he was in the O'Reilly interview for example).

Kerry had a breadth of insight on the issues, but all this means to me is that he was broadly wrong.

Kerry kept his cool and by most accounts presented himself better than President Bush. I would agree. Had Bush come out as he did in O'Reilly's interview he'd have put this baby to bed. He didn't hammer Kerry enough on the 87 billion dollars. He didn't hammer Kerry on the Patriot Act. He missed out on too many opportunities.