Thursday, September 30, 2004
The Real Debate Starts Now?
I'm not exepcting much from the debates given that Bush's crew supposedly negotiated out any opportunity for Kerry to put their man on the spot f'real f'real with a ridiculously detailed 34 page debate agreement. This was apparently how they used their leverage in agreeing to do three, not just two, debates.
This lack of a chance for real dialog between Kerry and Bush is especially worrying given the fact that Kerry's mediocre campaign is only now starting to show some real signs of life. After realizing that Bush's sorry record of achievement and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq wasn't going to be enough to put a dent in his approval numbers and deliver Kerry the election, it's now all come down to the debates and the need for Kerry to score a knockout in debate #1 tonight according to the conventional wisdom most media pundits and talking heads are spitting. Unfortunately, the highly restrictive debate format agreed upon leaves little room for Kerry to be able to do that.
I'll still watch anyway carrying a tiny torch of hope that Kerry can score enough zingers to maybe knock Bush off-balance and swing the momentum his way, but it's seems unlikely. Here's some possibly useful reading for those still taking this seriously though:
- Fareed Zakaria's guide on How to Pick a War President. (Newsweek)
- The Washington Post's suggestions on Questions to Debate.
- A Dozen Questions for Bush-Kerry - what may not be asked in the debates, but should be. (The Christian Science Monitor)
- The Progress Report's Claim vs. Fact: What The President Will Say.
And spotted via Wonkette:
- Al Gore on How to Debate George Bush. (The New York Times)
and
- (The inevitable) Official 2004 Presidential Debate Drinking Game. (The Chicago Tribune)
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This lack of a chance for real dialog between Kerry and Bush is especially worrying given the fact that Kerry's mediocre campaign is only now starting to show some real signs of life. After realizing that Bush's sorry record of achievement and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq wasn't going to be enough to put a dent in his approval numbers and deliver Kerry the election, it's now all come down to the debates and the need for Kerry to score a knockout in debate #1 tonight according to the conventional wisdom most media pundits and talking heads are spitting. Unfortunately, the highly restrictive debate format agreed upon leaves little room for Kerry to be able to do that.
I'll still watch anyway carrying a tiny torch of hope that Kerry can score enough zingers to maybe knock Bush off-balance and swing the momentum his way, but it's seems unlikely. Here's some possibly useful reading for those still taking this seriously though:
- Fareed Zakaria's guide on How to Pick a War President. (Newsweek)
- The Washington Post's suggestions on Questions to Debate.
- A Dozen Questions for Bush-Kerry - what may not be asked in the debates, but should be. (The Christian Science Monitor)
- The Progress Report's Claim vs. Fact: What The President Will Say.
And spotted via Wonkette:
- Al Gore on How to Debate George Bush. (The New York Times)
and
- (The inevitable) Official 2004 Presidential Debate Drinking Game. (The Chicago Tribune)
