Guardian: First blood to Kerry in TV debate

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The US president, George Bush, and Democratic candidate John Kerry exchange words at the end of their first televised presidential debate. Photograph: Jim Bourg/Reuters




John Kerry regained the initiative in the US presidential race last night with a forceful performance in his first debate with George Bush, occasionally leaving the president scowling and at a loss for words.

Instant-response polls by three major television networks all showed that a large majority of their viewers thought the challenger had won the 90-minute verbal contest at the University of Miami - the first of three debates in the last month of the campaign.

Perhaps even more seriously for President Bush, the networks ignored broadcasting guidelines agreed beforehand and showed both candidates at the same time. On several occasions, Mr Bush could be seen sour-faced and nervous in reaction to some of Mr Kerry's remarks. Similar "cut-away" shots of Al Gore in the first presidential debate four years ago sapped his campaign and helped put Mr Bush into office.

After last night's debate, senior Democrats made it clear that they would make maximum use of the pictures of a disgruntled President Bush.

"What you saw was a president who was annoyed, angry and aloof. He clearly didn't want to be there, and he was slouched over his podium," said Terry McCauliffe, the Democratic party chairman, in an interview in "spin alley", a university basketball court where partisans of each side strove frenetically to influence media coverage of the event.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/0,13918,1317491,00.html?=rss

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