Not a momentum killer but not a decisive win either.

[Perky]

My take:


Bush did much better.... but he did not propose he attacked. without much support in evidence. Tactically7 he probably had no choice but it was standard fair probably not strong enough to win over the undecideds.

For Kerry... I swear to go... If I Hear "I have a plan...." one more time I am gonna go through the roof.

Did Kerry take it to the president on Iraq? Does the criticism need to be muted? that is the question of the night. Kerry was strong but there was hardly anything new on that front/

What Kerry failed to do more than anything else... Is tag the the President with the label of something between a liar and incompetent. We win when George Bush is the issue... They win when Kerry is the issue.

A draw? maybe....a push...definitely.


See you in Tempe.

[bullimiami]

1. i have a similar thought

i think kerry got the best of bush but not by as much as i would have liked.

bush didnt bumble as much but his attacks will probably fail pretty badly in post debate analysis.


yeah the i have a plan gets on my nerves too.

[JCMach1]

2. We have had the two faces of Bush in Debates so far

Debate 1: Bush the Imbecile
Debate 2: Bush the Swaggering Cowboy, even his accent was worse tonight


Both perceptions are profoundly unpresidential... Win for Kerry!

[dsewell]

3. Solidifies the base

Bush recovered tonight with his supporters who were worried as hell by his first debate performance. "Whew, he hasn't totally lost it." But they would be voting for him even if he *did* totally lose it.

He was meaner and more right-wingier tonight than at the first debate. Part of his discomfort the first time was probably caused by having to walk a tightrope that he's not comfortable on. He may have reassured his base tonight, but I sure didn't see him offering anything attractive to the truly undecided centrists.

[gavodotcom]

6. Good point. He was more comfortable n abortion with a pro-life question.

I thought that was remarkable, honestly. He bumbles around any question that isn't right-wing.

[Fiendish Thingy]

4. He was a screaming cowboy until the last couple of questions...

If Kerry's abortion question had been last, that would have been much worse, but then the "3 mistakes" made me go "Yesss!". Let's hope that and the "timber" thing get played up...

[apnu]

5. expect it to be the new freeper joke in about 1/2 an hour worldwide

[Mr_Spock]

7. Yeah, I'm gonna give it to Kerry because momentum not lost

...and what is a Presidential candidate without momentum less than a month before the election. Bush got a little unhinged a couple of times too - yes he was a bit better tonight, but the loopy behavior and that bored to death woman behind him in his closing will stick in many people's minds.

[Carolinian]

8. It's embarrassing to admit that Bush is our President. All I heard from

him was the same old talking points run around. Oh yeah, he did mention something about "green eyshadow". Must be a TEXAS thing?