Bush Shows A Different Side, but Not His Best One (NYT)

[annerevere]

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY

Published: October 9, 2004

The president managed not to scowl. But he let his feelings get the better of him, getting hot under the collar in a medium best served cold.

From the outset, his clenched jaw twitched, and he blinked repeatedly, like a man whose contact lens hurt. And when Senator John Kerry turned and confronted him face to face with the latest report on the absence of illicit weapons in Iraq, President Bush snickered derisively - the first sign that the president, though more combative than in the first debate, was not on his game.

And a town-hall debate, which was expected to be a strong forum for Mr. Bush, turned into a voyeuristic reality show: would the president lose it like a contestant on "Survivor"? He came close a few times.


Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/09/politics/campaign/09tube.html

[Zomby Woof]

1. hell yes

I was rooting for a total meltdown, like Peter Finch in "Network" did on his 'reality' show.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Kind of like the thrill of going to the circus

Will the wild gorilla go rogue and finally turn on its trainer?

[Toucano]

3. "...was not on his game..."

The man doesn't have game!

That's the whole point. Stop obscuring that, will ya'?!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. I'm liking the NY Times more these days.

Really sticking it to Little Hitler (Bush)!

I was waiting for Bush to physically assault Gibson and Kerry and the audience.

Kerry WON BIG TIME!

:D

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. Bad news - this IS his good side

Out of public view, I doubt he's even this restrained.

[Philostopher]

6. For just a few moments,

Charlie Gibson must have felt like Roy Horn, of Siegfried and Roy, when the tiger lost its grasp on the transaction that was supposed to be taking place. That bizarre disconnect between what he was expecting and what happened, and the feeling that the wheels were about to fall off the whole charade, I mean.

[KharmaTrain]

7. If This Was Al Gore...

I know, I know...

This boy was putting on a show for his base...trying to keep his own hive in place. He didn't care about reaching moderates or undecideds, he was using very Gingrich cliche in the book and pandering directly to the fundie and wingnuts.

That in itself is sad as this indicates with three weeks left in the campaign RoveCo. still isn't sure they're own base will turn out enough to bring this election close enough to steal.

[senseandsensibility]

8. They let people write like this in the NYT?

I thought all their snide little comments were reserved for Gore and Kerry. This could truly be a sign of things to come.:)