Question by question analysis of September 30, 2004 Debate

[jerryman814]

Here's a rundown of the questions of the first debate and my reactions/comments about both the candidates' answers:

Question 1
Do you believe you can do a better job preventing another terrorist attack as president?

Kerry: "I have a different set of convictions". We need strong alliances. Bush has shattered the world community, Will establish a summit with all alies. Better and faster training of Iraqis.

Bush: (First words as predicted by Air America) "9/11 has changed the world". Al Qaeda, Al Qaeda... pre-eminent arrests prevented terrorism. Pursuing strategy of "freedom".

Winner: Tie


Question 2
Do you think that Kerry's election will yield another terrorist attack (to Bush)?

Bush: "I will win". The nation has a solemn duty to rid the world of evil. Never waier. SPread "liberty"

Kerry: I believe in being strong. We kill terrorists but will not divert our way to Iraq. "Colossal error of judgment". All generals believe Kerry is a better leader. "Bush outsourced our military when we needed it".

Winner: Kerry


Question 3
What was the misjudgment by Bush?

Kerry: Bush promised to go to war as a last resort. 90% of the casualties and expenditures are American. $200 billion invested in Iraq while the druglords run amock in Afghanistan.

Bush: Kerry said Saddam was a big threat. DID go to UN to tell Saddam to disclose arms.

Winner: Bush


Question 4
Was Saddam the bigger priority over Bin Laden?

Bush: We can have a global effort. Biggest failure is if we leave Iraq. Iraqis are waiting to be trained. (??)

Kerry: "Iraq was not even close to war on terror center". Bush undermined authority of military leaders. No plan to keep the peace. Bush doesn't see what's happening in Iraq.

Bush (rebuttal): Kerry voted against armament.

Kerry (rebuttal): Bush took the focus off of Bin Laden.

Winner: Kerry (landslide victory here)


Question 5
As president what would you do to increase Homeland Security?

Kerry: $500 million to Iraq police/firefighters and cutting US police money by Bush administration. 95% of containers are not inspected in US. Protect America first. Chemical plant exposures.

Bush: How is Kerry going to pay for it? Tripled the bugest of the Homeland Security. "Modernizing our borders". Best way to protect America is to be on the offensive.

Kerry (rebuttal): FBI changed its culture.

Bush (rebuttal): "I wake up everyday thinking about how to protect US"

Winner: Kerry (Bush unravelling towards the end)


Question 6
What criteria would you use to bring back soldiers from Iraq?

Bush: See Iraq perform and take responsibility. Stability (nervous stuttering)

Kerry: "Help is on the way". Soldiers deserve better conditions. "Occupiers in a bitterly hostile land". Guarded only the oil ministry in Iraq. "We will get the job done right".

Bush (rebuttal): $87 BILLION supplemental veto by Kerry.

Kerry (rebuttal): President made a grave mistake in invading Iraq.

Winner: Kerry


Question 7
Are the AMerican soldiers dying for a mistake?

Kerry: We have to win this war. Bush said "we will plan carefully, we will go to war with our allies". Lies by the president.

Bush: Kerry's convictions are wavering. "Wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place".

Kerry (rebuttal): We never let the UN get involved.

Bush (rebuttal): Coalition will remain strong.

Winner: Kerry (Bush didn't even address the question)


Question 8
What was the miscalculation by Bush?

Bush: We "won" so "fast" that there were still Saddam supporters (The weirdest line I've ever heard from him). We have to be realistic and optimistic.

Kerry: The president has described the mistake... Even knowing that there were no WMDs in Iraq, Bush would still have gone to war. North Korea has gotten nukes on his watch.

Winner: Kerry because I, along with the rest of America, lost track of Bush's logic.


Question 9
Examples of Bush's lies?

Kerry: State of the union: "WMDs in Iraq". Coalition is not the one agreed upon. UN cutoff, misled us with "going to was as last resort".

Bush: Osama Bin Laden uses the war as a showing how America is against the Muslims.

Kerry: President chose the wrong war.

Bush: Only thing consistent about Kerry is the inconsistency.

Winner: Kerry - Bush;s arguments were not sticking.


Question 10
Has the war in Iraq been worth every life?

Bush: Missy Johnson... "My decision caused her husband to be in harm's way". I think it's worth it.

Kerry: It is vital not to confuse the war with the warriors. Four words from Bush "More of the same".

Bush: "wrong war at the wrong time...etc"

Kerry: If you broke it, fix it.

Winner: Kerry (Great series for Kerry).


Question 11
Tell us some specifics to resolve the Iraqi war.

Kerry: change dynamics on the ground. Close the borders. Show that you're prepared to have allies.

Bush: 100,000 Iraqi soldiers are trained. Must believe we must be free.

Kerry: Allawi says "the terrorists are pouring over the borders".

Bush: "They are fighting us because they are fighting freedom". (WTF?)

Winner: Kerry ... at this point Bush looks like a dildo.


Question 12
Would Bush bring the US in another preemptive war?

Bush: America was attacked. SO, we hit back. "Hope we never have to".

Kerry: Bush - 'the enemy attacked us'. Al Quaeda attacked us. With Bin Laden cornered, we outsourced our military to Afghan warlords and let him get away. Iraq was not the biggest threat (2/3 of the country was a no fly zone)

Bush: "Hope we never have to"

Kerry: 35-40 countries had more capability to make WMD than Iraq. North Korea has nukes. Darfour has genocide.

Winner: Kerry by a landslide


Question 13
What's your views on preemptive war?

Kerry: only do it when it passes the global test. Powell apologized for presentation of Iraqi evidence. Credibility of US has fallen. Fighting for proliferation.

Bush: "Only if we have to"

Winner: Kerry, Bush is becoming repetitive (he forgot all of the other ways to say "freedom")


Question 14
Will negotiations with Iran and North Korea suppress their nuke production?

Bush: get other nations in the negotiation

Kerry: Test the country to see what good the nukes are doing. Bush neglected North Korea and now they have nukes. We need a bilateral summit with N.K.

Winner: Kerry


Question 15
Darfour 50,000 people suffered. Why no talk about it in the campaign?

Kerry: We can solve this through the African union. Troops are overextended. Double duty of troops.

Bush: we gave $$$ to peace effort. Use the African union.

Winner: Tie


Question 16
WHat character issues of your opponent denies him the right to be COmmander in Chief?

Bush: Kerry changes his position on the war in Iraq. You can't lead with mixed messages.

Kerry: On Bush certainty: "You can be certain and be wrong". President is not acknowledging the truth.

Bush: "I won't change my core values".

Kerry: I am consistent.

Winner: Kerry's argument stuck much better here. This is the point where he shakes off the uncertainty of his leadership.


Question 17
WHat is the most important threat?

Kerry: Nuclear proliferation. Bush will take 13 years to get nukes from N.K. Bush has secured more WMD before 9/11 than after. I will shut the nuke programs down.

Bush: Missile defense system.

Kerry: Bilateral talks with N.K.

Bush: WIth bilateral talks, CHina will no longer be an influence on N.K.

Winner: Kerry (much more assertive and finishes answeering this in the next question.)


Question 18
Has Putin been misjudged by Bush?

Bush: There needs to be checks and balances.

Kerry: Just beause the president can't get the N.K. to disarm doesn't mean it can't be done.

Winner: Kerry

CLOSING COMMENTS

Kerry: Who can get the job done? "I defended this country as a young man at war and I will as president". Has a plan to win the war in Iraq and terrorism.

Bush: Steadfast and resolute. "We have climbed the mighty mountain..."

FINAL TALLY:

Kerry - 15
Bush - 1
Tie - 2

Which question do you think brought Kerry over the top?