Bush/Rove will retaliate hard in the next debate.

[The Chronicler]

Don't kid yourself and think that Bush will be as vacant as he was in debate 1. Rove will have him ready for debate 2. Look for more personal attacks on John Kerry. The good news for us is the biggest opportunity to use the attacks was the first debate--with Kerry's 20 year record on foreign policy issues. Now it will be more difficult to attack on domestic stuff, but look for Bush to hammer home the "Kerry will raise your taxes" mantra from here on out. And if at the town hall meeting, a voter were to have a question re: Iraq etc, look for Bush to hammer home Kerry's past votes. Bush really blew it I thought in the first debate, not doing this stuff. It's important for Team Kerry to stay on the offensive and not sit on the momentum. Kerry's new line about how Bush wants to give money to Haliburton (high-end taxcuts) instead of spending it on homeland security could be pretty devestating. He hinted at it some in the last debate.

[vickie]

1. This is exactly the case -- and I hope JK is ready for it!!!

[Skip Intro]

10. Oh, I think they'll be ready

I don't think bush can walk a thin line of attacking Kerry without his mean spirit coming thru. And he won't be protected from the people this time.

His obscene ego and destest for anyone who dares question him will be too much for him to hadle - especially if Kerry nudges him at just the right times. And I think Kerry reads bush very well.

I keep remembering a post here a recently about Ann Richards telling Dems not to panic - that the Kerry people know what they're doing. I believe that. Kerry's Presidential performance Thursday was no accident.

This is, after all, a fighter going up against a coward.

[AlCzervik]

2. I'm sure Kerry has already anticipated the onslaught

of assholery from team smirk. This is a man who has been through a very difficult couple of months and he's doing a good job.

[liberal_in_GA]

3. I agree JK has to stay on the offense...

But Kerry has NOTHING to be ashamed about regarding his Senate record. In fact, I was waiting for him to talk about how he was fighting terra while Bush was still running his first company into the ground.

[The Chronicler]

7. Maybe not, but his votes

on CIA, Intel spending etc will be spun like there's no tomorrow. Kerry has to expect it and be able to respond quick and sharp.

Look for things like these to be brought up:

CIA slashing
Kerry voting against Gulf War 1
Kerry voting against 87 billion
Kerry voting against the tanks that are in Iraq right now

I'm just saying he needs to be prepared.

[cheshire]

4. It doesn't matter what * does now, he set a president. If he does better

it will look staged if he does the same well then the truth is out. It can be spun like a top. Most people understand the need for taxes and love the idea that the rich won't get theirs. Don't underestimate the Dem camp or Kerry. This is not the old Dems. They are already getting tougher.

[bain_sidhe]

35. "precedent" not "president"! LOL, bu**sh** never set a

"president" in his life!

[Jade Fox]

5. Bush's behavior is not something he can control....

At his last press conferences he behaved just as bizarrely as he did
during debate 1.

Is fairly clear he has some sort of organic problem in addition to his
personality disorders, and it seems to be getting worse. About all
they can do is try and adjust whatever medication he's on.

All the King's horses and all the King's men will not be able to put
dimson back together again.

[NYC Liberal]

6. He was prepared for this for the FIRST debate...

I have NO doubt he'll be even more prepared this time around.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Town Hall Debates Are Bad Forums For Attacks...

nt

[The Chronicler]

9. Good point.

Gore sort of tried it in 2000 and came off like an asshole. Kerry-Weld actually had a town hall format debate one of the times in '96

[MatrixEscape]

11. Keep up the momentum and such ...

but I can't imagine how they could fix Bush enough to change the essential problems he had in the first debate. I put the emphasis on essential. The secondary aspects of what he had to say and his repetition is yet another level.

I mean, what can they do? Better meds? A brain transplant? A Bush look-alike? It seems clear that the debate format is not, at all, Bush's element. They have been protecting him from this for years. He knows it, and he is not comfortable or at ease. In fact, he seems very peeved about being subjected to it. You can even smell some fear, and the aura of uncertainty surrounded him.

Kerry will raise taxes? -->> Bush will have a growing deficit that your Grandchildren will still be paying. Bush's tax cut, along with other incentives, has been largely a benefit to the upper 5% bracket. The numbers are there.

Personally, I see the tax cut to the wealthy as a payoff or a big thank you to his financial and corporate supporters. Just my opinion.

[JPace]

33. I agree,

AWOL will try harder to control his facial features this
time around, but the result will be ticks, twitches restless
legs, flushing of complexion and probably labored breathing.
He will look like a cork about to pop and it will be
detectable. I think the guy may be drinking again...
this will make him even more irritable and short tempered
as alcohol is used to medicate feelings and when he is
sober he cannot stand uncomfortable feelings.

[Thrill]

12. Tad Devine already said they expect that

He said thats what they do. He said he expects them to get real mean and negative because thats what they do.

But they should of done that in the Foreign Policy debate. He got beaten in the debate that he is basing his whole re-election on.

[The Chronicler]

15. Exactly

They blew such a huge opportunity I thought. They've been painting Kerry for 6 months as a flip flipping liberal who can't defend America, and yet when this hits the crescendo (the first debate), Bush totally stays off of it. He really blew it.

[missjudy6]

13. I agree Chronicler...

I'm sure Rove etal are working 'round the clock with shrub on improving his demeanor, facial expressions, and greater exaggerations of truth. (Poor shrub, it's probably cutting into his ranch time). I don't expect he'll be providing the gift of his smarmy smirks, stammering, 5 seconds of dumb silence as he stares into the camera etc as he did in the first debate. Probably nothing to be done about his lack of command of the english language so we'll still get to enjoy that I'm sure.
If I understood your point correctly, I don't agree Kerry will have
difficulty attacking on domestic issues. No child left behind, record deficit, outsourcing, union busting, macdonald's jobs considered "manufacturing" jobs... the list goes on.
If Mr Kerry just points out in how many ways Bush has defaulted on 2000 campaign/debate promises, I'll be happy.


Oh, and hello everyone. I'm new here.

[speedoo]

16. They can't possibly be working around the clock with shrub on his debate..

style.

First, the man is not capable of working more than an hour or two a day.

Second, he is campaigning about three hours a day, so that takes care of his work capacity.

[GreenArrow]

36. they are using subliminable tapes

on him while he sleeps. That also explains the voice of God that Bush is always receiving instructions from. Probably using hypnosis on him too...

[Upfront]

24. Welcome

We are glad to have you around.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi missjudy6!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[missjudy6]

27. Thank You NewYawker99

and Upfront. Happy to be here.
Speedo, you are correct of course, my bad.

[speedoo]

14. The coWard's abysmal record still has to be defended.

And he is clearly not up to that daunting task.

The election is now a referendum on shrub, and as long as Kerry maintains his attack, I don't see how the coWard can regain any momentum.

[Bongo Prophet]

17. Desperate and lashing out.

Without the minions cheering his every 'pause for applause' he comes off as irritatingly incompetent. In other words, the truth leaks out.
Like a bad sitcom without the laughtrack.
In the coming days, prepare some notes and points you would want to send to editors and other media outlets. When the time comes, pick out the most appropriate points and compile tham into letters. We know what their attacks will be, and what our strengths are.

[mumon]

18. Nope. He won't. But Kerry needs to do even better next time.

1. Rove can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. All through Bush's life he's never had to face music, really. Even in 2000, with the media was biased against Gore, Bush's performance was still lackluster. If Bush changes his behavior, then he isn't being himself. Bush is totally Gore-able at this point.

2. If he goes personal, then he's not acting presidential.

[mzmolly]

19. Indeed, Bush will sharpen up for the next one, and may even be declared

"the winner" by the press who will want viewers to tune in to #3. :shrug:

[progressivebydesign]

30. It's not like Bush didn't prepare HEAVILY for the first one!

I keep reading that Bush will do this, and Bush will prepare, etc. Hey.. that WAS Bush's best effort! A new medication is his only hope of keeping it together next time. He has zero knowledge of the workings of the Country. I honestly think he really IS a shadow leader.. and THAT is why the idiot couldn't even testify alone at the 9/11 commission. He's not capable of it! I truly wonder if one of the proposals for the debates was to let Cheney and Bush debate together...

[mzmolly]

32. He was off guard b/c Kerry came out against the war.

I think it threw off their game plan.

I look for a much improved Bush next time, but ... Kerry will do jusssst fine.

[bigpathpaul]

20. Bush is tired, desperate, running on fumes.

There's only so much Rove can do the raw material he has to work with. I'd fully expect a harsher attack, but I tend to agree (or, at least, hope) that the damage was already done in round 1.

Americans saw a distracted clown. Some will continue to delude themselves, but I think that people who are honest with themselves, know they simply cannot trust the guy.

--------------------


Full-size versions can be downloaded from http://bigpath.net/politics/Voting/VotingStart.html

[Zen Democrat]

21. The same Bush will show up -- an ignoramous.

It's not like they have a lot to choose from her. They've got one dumb petulant egotist and he will show up again.

[progressivebydesign]

31. Remember, he couldn't even testify to the 9/11 commission on his own. n/t

[West Coast Democrat]

22. Maybe * will be better, maybe not....

It seemed like he hadn't prepped at all for the first debate, but Rove/Cheney/Hughes probably spent a lot of time prepping him.

For the next debates, they're going to spend most of the time prepping * on facial expressions and body language. They'll go for the same repetitive stump phrases they always try, and will hope these will be enough.

[Carni]

23. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

Bush is not an ear, he is the ass end of a sow.

Rove has his work cut out for him and the elephant in the room is Bush...he isn't smart he isn't likeable and he doesn't take directions very well in his current "king of the world" mindset.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

26. Rove wants multiple choice questions at next debate

and wants to replace last debate with a take-home essay
because of "national security concerns."

[bagnana]

28. Tax cut and wedge issues.

Bush will play up tax cuts, abortion, gay marriage, and the "soft bigotry of low expectations" i.e. the right of republicans to screw everyone but white men without guilt.

[progressivebydesign]

29. But Kerry didn't win the 1st one thru personal attacks..

.. The area that won it for Kerry was his KNOWLEDGE,something that the American voter appears to desperately need.. I honestly don't think that Bush will EVER be able to hold a candle to Kerry's knowledge and political acumen. The best Rove can hope for is to settle on a medication for Bush this time that won't make him look so fucking deranged and thirsty.

[LibDemAlways]

34. Chimp's job will be harder this time.

He has to convince America he's not the fumbling idiot he appeared to be in the first debate while fending off the questioners and Kerry.

I watched portions of the 2000 town hall debate on c-span last night. Chimp was making faces and mugging then, but he wasn't running on a piss poor record and Americans weren't dying in Iraq. Take away his "I'm just a regular guy" persona as befits the seriousness of the occasion, and he has nothing.

All Kerry has to do is remain cool and Presidential. Chimp has to make up a hell of a lot of lost ground, and he simply isn't up to it.