Political Forecast

Here is my reaction, typed as I watched the debate:

Senator John Kerry started the debate smooth and confident. He took the time to outline his policies with more specifics than previous given, at least during primetime. John Kerry clearly showed the skills of his rhetoric against the incumbent President George W. Bush.

Bush seemed uncomfortable and on his toes through the first hour of the debate. John Kerry pointed out many flaws and mistakes that the Bush Administration have made during their years in office.

Bush repeatedly made notions to the idea of a Kerry “flip-flop” policy, however it never took a solidified hold on the debate. Kerry specifically addressed his positions on all the issues pointed out. For the first sixty minutes of the debate, Kerry pounded away at Bush and ultimately maintained the offensive while Bush was forced to the defensive. One would think that Bush would be semi-comfortable with this position, since it’s what his administration has been doing since initiating the conflict in Iraq. However, he fumbled multiple times and in the end, gave the edge to Kerry.

Bush did, admittedly, do better than he had done in the 2000 debates with Vice President Al Gore. He easily commented on and was able to pronounce the names of multiple world leaders and specific regions of the world.

It seems that the GOP spin-machine is faltering. All President Bush reiterated throughout the entire debate is that Kerry has not offered a cohesive position. Karl Rove has to be shitting himself after Bush’s poor performance. Traditionally, the GOP has been able to offer a cohesive message coming from their party, but Bush was not able to articulate them at all.

Finally, what does “transhipment of nuclear weapons” mean?

Overall, Bush sucked it up because of three main things:

1. His insistence on the “flip-flopping” issue, even though it didn’t work.
2. His numerous pauses and freezes.
3. His terrible reaction shots.

Overall, just more reasons to vote Kerry/Edwards 2004.