So who won? I don’t know because I didn’t watch (don’t worry, I have an excuse). But no one else knows either: as of 8 p.m. the major news networks are still spinning their wheels, trying to get a grip on the big story – the two or three sentences that will summarize this debate until the next one. This statement will go something like, “John Kerry won because…” or conversely, “President Bush won because…”
At this time, both parties are sending out their “spinners” to try and sway us one way or the other. I’ve been watching MSNBC for 30 minutes and have seen two such interviews, each claiming their man not only won, but left the other battered and bruised under his podium. I’ve heard that Bush people are “confident” whereas Kerry people are “giddy.”
From what I’ve seen, Kerry managed to define himself in the way he needed to, and turned many of the key issues back on the President, making him defend his record (which is what this whole election thing needed to be about in the first place). Bush on the other hand was steady with the message that he’s been peddling for the past few months: “you get more of me, or you get a flip-flopper.”
So who won? Since Kerry had more to lose from this debate than Bush, and he appears to have accomplished those goals that people said he needed to accomplish; while on the other hand Bush did nothing but “not screw it up,” (as a friend of mine put it).
I’m willing to give this round to Kerry.
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