For me, this is the most interesting debate of my lifetime...

[kentuck]

And I've been around since the Kennedy/Nixon debates. But the interest was not at the same level as this. Although Nixon was a SOB, I didn't feel the nation was as threatened by him as by George W Bush. And that is saying a lot...

[RummyTheDummy]

1. I dont know why this one is getting so much play.

Seems to me the first one and the last one are the most important. Furthermore, I will all but gaurantee less people will watch this one than the first one and probably the last one. Having it on Friday night takes care of that.

Friday night is family night for a lot of people. In many regions, high school football will get the nod for many families over watching this debate. Especially in places like Ohio, Penn. and Michigan as well as the south and southwest.

[BurtWorm]

7. The stakes are high because they're 0 for 2.

One problem about its being Friday, though, is that even if Bush does worse than he did in his last outing, the news may get swallowed up by the holiday weekend. It's possible. On the other hand, if he does passably well, it will probably get swallowed up as well.

[sandnsea]

9. Townhall format

Because the media thinks it's Bush's best chance of success. They're still running with the Kerry is stiff and aloof mindset. Too bad for them, JK is 100 times better at townhall's than podium debates. He's honest, intelligent and caring and people get it. Bush's phony compassion is going to be clear and he's going to get whooped BAD tonight.

[babylonsister]

2. I totally agree!

I know I've never been as interested by a debate or as disturbed at the way our country is being run and portrayed to others. God, we need to get rid of these guys!

[leftofthedial]

3. I'm not all that optimistic

It's Missouri

home of some truly blinkered reactionaries. And they just LOVE intellectuals from the Northeast. NOT!

Gallup determines "uncommitted"? Doesn't sound good to me.

Schieffer picks the questions? Doesn't sound good to me.

The expectation bar is so low for the little bushturd that he virtually can't fail.

This won't be about truth, reality, or actual issues. It will be about emotion. It's a pep rally.

[jackstraw45]

4. It's actually Charles Gibson this time I think

I think Schieffer does the last debate....

[leftofthedial]

6. duh. my bad. brain fart.

I meant Gibson. Gibson is the least objective of the various moderators.

Schieffer I can actually live with.

[janx]

5. Washington University

is not the home of "blinkered reactionaries."

Sorry.

[leftofthedial]

8. the audience is not a Washington U audience though

it is a group of uncommitteds and soft Bush and Kerry supporters selected from Missouri voters by Gallup

the Wash U students Tweety interviewed last night on HArdball had some very interesting comments.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. I don't think it being Friday night will affect viewing that much, because

people who are going to go out, to high school football games as mentioned, very likely have a VCR or TiVo, or know someone who does, or have cable or satellite and can watch it replayed on C-SPAN. I may be wrong, but I'd guess more people have VCRs than have computers, even if they use them primarily for playing rented movies.