Well, the candidates have just had their second debate and as a John Kerry supporter I must admit that President Bush certainly did a much better job at debating Senator Kerry.
ABC's after debate poll shows that most people polled feel that Kerry won (44% Kerry, 41% Bush, 13% feel it was a tie). I am admittedly relieved that the poll went this way because I would have to say that Bush did a better job debating Kerry and possibly did a better job than Kerry in explaining his policy. In fact, I am genuinely shocked that Bush did as well as he did. This debate certainly solidified each candidate’s base and the president’s better performance tonight may even inspire Kerry supporters to get out there and vote.
Though Bush performed significantly better than he did during last week’s debate, I feel he failed to present anything new that would inspire this country to come back together. The president was asked at one point to name three different mistakes he felt he made during his term as president and he couldn’t. He couldn’t even name one. What this says to me is that ‘w’ has an inability to learn from his mistakes and furthermore refuses to acknowledge that he has even made any in the first place. Though this question at first seemed innocuous, it truly speaks volumes about the character and intelligence of our president.
I stated before that this debate certainly helped each candidate solidify their own base. But the debates are really for the undecided voters. In my last post I related to you that I was in a hotel lobby eager to speak with others while watching the vice presidential debate. Unfortunately no one was paying attention to the debate except for one FedEx driver. Juan from Alaska wrote in response saying; “He's the one that probably matters the most. The folks who wake up everyday, go to work every day and eat and sleep their job are the people who make this country work. His vote will be vital, and it will probably not be a simple knee jerk move.” I hope that tonight’s debate gave that FedEx driver and the others out there who are still undecided more to think about.
I will be in Columbus, Ohio for the final debate this Wednesday. I believe it will be the most important of the series. I hope to speak with folks in Columbus about their feelings on the debate as write about it here. The upcoming debate will be the one that sticks in people’s minds as they head to the polls just 24 days from now. I think it will be one for the ages.
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