Well, only an idiot or a typical mass media podperson could score tonight’s debate as anything but a clear win for President Bush. But I repeat myself…
The President was masterful. Warm, strong, genuine, authoritative, credible, consistent, on message, connected with the audience, humorous at times (effectively so!). He “owned” the room. He even handled the loaded question about “name three mistakes” well (although were I doing prep with him, I’d have been ready for that one–he got snookered on it earlier in the year, after all). Turned it back and “outed” it for what it was and strongly rebutted its unspoken agenda.
(Tinfoil hat time? Not quite–I’ll support the following characterization of the MMPA another time… ) While I am absolutely positive the Mass Media Podpeoples Army, in their socialist agenda to destroy Western Civilization, will spin this sKerry’s way (especially ABC –see Drudge on the ABC Halperin memo), it’ll just be more CBS/Rathergate-quality “news”–completely partisan.
While President Bush missed a few good licks (calling Kerry on the General Shinseki lie, hammering the fact that the draft bill defeated this week was proposed by the Democrats and that the only persons to vote for it were Democrats, couple other minor things), but nailed Kerry with A+, A and B answers to answers ranging from A to F-, according to Hugh Hewitt’s scorecard—a scorecard I am largely in agreement with.
All-in-all, not a knockout, perhaps, but a clear win for Bush. And the best part? The Bush team came away with plenty of ammo for the coming week! Thank you, Senator sKerry!
heh.