Um, guys? We seem to have forgotten that * has the advantage AGAIN of

[Worst Username Ever]

low expectaions....

http://www.washingtondispatch.com/opinion/article_10272.shtml

God he's a dumbass, who would have though that being a dumbass could actually be HELPFUL.

Opinions?

[klook]

1. W is not stupid,

just willfully ignorant. There is a difference.

[Vincardog]

2. Pig headed and lazy do not = Steady Leader

[klook]

8. Agreed. Those qualities add up to

Psychopathic leech.

[prodigal_green]

3. Only by the pundits

I think the last presidential debate showed that the public has very high expectations for those whom they would elect.

* will be trained like a good little carnival monkey, with stock answers and well-rehearsed zingers, but Kerry will actually talk to the audience like they are adults.

[Beetwasher]

4. No, Expectations Are HIGHER THAN EVER For Bush

He needs to win decisively tonight and appear competent and in charge. Merely improving his performance will not be acceptable. In order to stop Kerry's momentum, he has to perform BETTER than Kerry. Kerry wins this debate even if it's a draw, which ain't gonna happen. The BEST Bush can achieve, IMO, is an improvement over last time and that's not saying much. No way he'll be better than Kerry and if he's not better, he loses.

[Worst Username Ever]

6. I was thinking it would be the opposite but i see your point...

I was thinking that if he did anything short of breaking into tears, people would see it as a win, or at least an improvement. I think, however, that if Kerry does even BETTER than he did before, it will overshadow any gains in performance that Bush achieves.

[Beetwasher]

9. Also Remember the Pressure He's Under

Just think about how SELF CONSCIOUS he's going to be trying to control his SUBCONSCIOUS IMPULSES which is what he has to do to control his facial expressions. I don't think he's capable of that kind of discipline and self-control while simultaneously taking on Kerry in a debate! It would be a tough job for ANYONE! Those facial expression impulses are practically hard wired into him.

I also DO believe he wears the earpiece and is getting coached. His coach is going to be MUCH more critical "stop slouching! Stop grimacing! Stop smirking! Say this EXACTLY!" and that's also going to tick him off. Last debate it pushed him to address his coach directly "Let me finish!" because he can't control his impulses.

[PATRICK]

10. exactly

Pulling out of a nose dive won't earn Bush any credit, but he can slip more in this situation. That's granted if everything works in his favor and Kerry stays home and somehow the economy or other trifling realities don't come up.

The situation is beyond desperate and Bush has no latent talent for the defenseless record and ruined tactics he takes with him tonight. Can he top Cheney's admittedly poor performance testing their last line of offense strategy?

I wish they could do a national televising of F9/11 and other sundries after the debate instead of the humiliated gasbags.

[michigandem2]

5. he can't hide his contempt..he just can't hide it..for a full 90 minutes?

all Kerry has to do is mention #41...I am telling you..its a punch in the gut for chimp

[Onlooker]

I think Bush has to do very well in this debate

Let's face it, people are starting judge Bush by the first debate. If he fares as poorly, or nearly so, in this debate, even his defenders are going to be hardpressed to defend him. It's quite possible that the reason we don't have a coalition in Iraq is because Bush simply does not have the skills to win private debates with foreign leaders.

[inmania]

7. think swing voter

However unlikely it seems, there are swing voters whose opinions of * were changed by his awful performance in debate #1. If tonight is a repeat or even half as bad, * is toast - two points make a line.