An essentially dignified and thoughtful performance by John Kerry, contrasted with an oddly giggly turn by George W. Bush, combined to give the last debate of the presidential campaign to the challenger last night, but very narrowly.
Bush seems to have been taken apart and put back together again after each debate, reassembled according to estimates of how he'd done. Last night it looked as though his handlers had told him to smile, smile, smile, especially when Kerry was trying to make points, points, points.
(snip)
Kerry wore a long puss through most of the evening, but Bush looked as smiley as Clarabell the Clown. Kerry did show a sense of humor when answering Schieffer's last question, about what it was like to be surrounded by "strong women," including their wives and daughters. Kerry said all three men, including Schieffer, were "lucky people who married up, and some would say it would be me more than others," a reference to his inordinately wealthy wife. The crowd gave him a warm laugh and seemed relieved to see that Kerry can laugh at himself.
(snip)
"A spirited and wide-ranging debate" was Tom Brokaw's estimation on NBC. Jeff Greenfield on CNN, talking over the roar of those rackety students again, felt that "neither candidate" made the most of his opportunity. Over on Fox, though, everybody threw bouquets at Bush, especially that sickening, simpering suck-up Morton Kondracke, who hailed a "much better performance" by the president than last time. Smirking right-winger William Kristol said that of Bush vs. Kerry, "He slaughtered him," a manifestly ridiculous contention.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31374-2004Oct14?language=printer
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