How will Bush do in the Fall debates?

[Elwood P Dowd]

I missed the 2000 debates because of my work schedule. I was also totally disgusted with Clinton, Gore, Richardson, Matsui, Foley, Rostenkowsky, and all the other Democrats that deserted us on NAFTA,
GATT, WTO, Telecommunications Bill, and other repuke corporate crap.

Everybody I know told me Bush won most of the debates. Then he steals
Florida. I’m still numb from the 90s, so I don’t give a shit. 9-11 comes
along, and I start following politics again and researching Bush, his
cabinet, and his background. Holy f#c(in@ crap, what have we done!!
And, watching this guy’s at a news conference ?????? There is no way
he could win a debate with a smart high school student. Somebody enlighten me. How did he even survive those debates?

If I were to speculate on the 2004 debates, it would seem John Edwards
would expose and destroy him in short order. Wouldn’t you love to see
Edwards cross examine Bush. On the flip side, if the PTB feel their
golden Rove robot is seriously threatened, what would be their plan of
attack against Edwards? Would it be propaganda through the media, or
would they revert to their more sinister and destructive ways?

[gmoney]

1. Debates will be rare...

bush* probably won't agree to do more than one, with questions only from a moderator (rather than the other candidate) and he'll give non-answers like he gave Diane Sawyer, or what he spouts at any of his scarce press conferences.

[Wapsie B]

2. There will be a debate?

If there even is one it will be as tightly scripted as a James Dobson interview.

[tritsofme]

3. Maybe 1 debate,

I bet he'll go for the Ahnold routine and make sure he knows the questions in advance.

[AndyTiedye]

4. Rove's Staff Is Already Writing the Reviews of the Fall Debates

for the networks.

The headlines are almost done,
Bush won them all, of course.

The ground rules will be that the Rove&co get to choose all
the questions that will be asked of both candidates, and make
sure that der shrub is well-reheased on the "right" answers.
We know that the "moderators" already have their instructions.

The Democratic challenger will hear the questions for the first time
on live TV, but you KNOW they won't put Bush* in that position!

They will probably have TelePrompters for Bush AND the "moderator".

[leftofthedial]

5. he'll lie, stammer, babble

and make an ass of himself.

Then the media whores will crow about how he won and how whoever the Democrat is failed in some imaginary way. And that Americans will never agree with the Democrat and how wildly popular GWMD Bush is.

[ant]

6. The Partly Cloudy Patriot

It's a book by Sarah Vowell. It's OK, it's got it's funny parts, but she's got a chapter on being a nerd and basically says that this was Gore's downfall. She quotes from a debate where Gore really nailed Bush and wonders why Gore didn't secure a landslide right then and there. (You can read the exchange here - it's quoted under "Let Russians convince Milosevic to step down.")

Basically it boils down to elections and debates being about personality rather than issues. A sad reality, but a reality nonetheless, and it's good news for Bush. I know that personally I'm not really paying much attention to specific policy issues in the primary. I'm focused on who's the most "marketable" - who would win a high school popularity contest against Bush?

It's a very sad state of affairs, but there you have it. Then again, with the economy and international affairs being so shitty, maybe people will pay more attention to issues this time around. I can see how where we were in 2000 would make people feel more confident and therefore less likely to actually pay attention.

[AndyTiedye]

15. 2000 was the Revenge of the Bullies against the Nerds

> she's got a chapter on being a nerd and basically says that this was Gore's downfall.

The whole thing does remind me rather a lot of high school.

Of course the Clinton years were pretty good for nerds.
A lot of us came to Silicon Valley and did pretty well.

The grown-up school bullies did not do as well, and
supported Bush* -- the more so when he did everything he
could to destroy Silicon Valley and make sure it never recovers,
and to turn us into a nation of bullies. Even so, they could
not win the election, so they stole it.



*Most of them are doing even worse now, but still support
Bush because they aren't very bright.

[Cat Atomic]

7. Bush? Debate? Heh- that's a good one.

He'll be "too busy defending the country".

[Tripper11]

8. Asmuch as I want to see him asnwer questions he's avoided

there won't be any debates. I seriously think that something will happen that will circumvent them, or they will just come up with some lame ass excuse.

[Skittles]

9. BUSH F***ING SUCKS IN DEBATES BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER

BECAUSE THE CORPORATE WHORE PRESS TELLS US HE WINS THEM

[buckeye1]

10. What debates?

There will be none if they can avoid them. Ideas are needed to force the issue. This can wait until we have a nominee. In the mean time imagine something new. Signs and marches have little impact anymore.

I think this is better than pipe dreams about something that may never happen.

I think I will be calling radio shows,writing letters to papers etc. demanding debates so Bush can truly show how great he is.

[Yupster]

11. Since you missed them,

here's a transcript you can read

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/debates/transcripts/u221003.html

A note. When I searched for Gore Bush debate transcript, probably half of the first 20 hits were made up comedy transcripts from Saturday Night Live or just internet sites. I wonder how many junior high students are quoting Saturday Night Live skits in their reports thinking it's the truth?

[Elwood P Dowd]

12. One reason I posted this was the remark a republican

made to me yesterday. It went something like: "I sure as
hell hope Bush doesn't have to debate Edwards".

I had another interesting conversation with a different
republican today. It seems he has been warned his 75K per
year job might just be outsourced in the next few months.
Ouch! He doesn't want to talk politics now.

Even here in Alabama, there is some awakening.

[burrowowl]

13. Debate!?? Bu$hie

Are you joking? He won't debate.
Election? I hope so, but I am not sure.

[Elwood P Dowd]

14. I don't think even the Bushits can get away

with martial low, tearing up The Constitution, and canceling
the elections. That being said, I wouldn't put anything else
past this band of crooks, liars, and thieves.

[are_we_united_yet]

16. Let me give you a preview:

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."

[Malva Zebrina]

17. I do not think that Bush will do a debate.

.

[Comadreja]

19. Bush has been the artful dodger

he lets his handlers do the confrontations and will expect the bought-and-paid for corporate media to do their parts to tell us why debates are unnecessary.

[loudnclear]

18. Stop making us laugh!

What a stupid question.

[dbt]

20. There won't be any debates.

bu$h will simply be too busy protecting us all from terra to get chewed up on TV by Dean or Clark.

:evilgrin:
dbt