John Kerry opened up tonight, and closed the deal with the American people

[milkyway]

I worked late tonight and just finished watching the debate on tape, and it is a tape I will want to keep. John Kerry saved his most masterful performance for the last debate. He had a thorough command of the issues, and had perhaps his best answer of the three debates on the question of the assault weapons ban. His answer was strong, concise, and because he presented it from the viewpoint of police officers, it was impossible to argue with his position. He also forcefully said he would have taken the fight to Tom DeLay about it, unlike the wimp bush who said he was for it but didn't have the guts to fight for it. But the best part of Kerry's answer may have been when he said he headed a district attorney's office, fought organized crime, and had put people away for life. I'm sure there were many people who found this out for the first time tonight and are seeing Kerry in a different light.

But what really made this an extraordinary night for John Kerry was his ability to open up and connect with us on a personal level. Even more so than in the town hall debate, John Kerry, who had already shown us he knows his stuff on policy, gave us a good look at John Kerry the human being--sincere, humble, strong, caring, thoughtful. He moved us beyond just removing bush from office to sharing his vision of America's future and what he wants to accomplish. Smartly, george bush was not even mentioned in his closing statement.

Like the great Mariano Rivera, John Kerry closed the game tonight. It's over. Three great performances have planted in the minds of most Americans that he is well deserving of the Presidency and that he will, in fact, be our next President. Kerry solidified the female vote in the last two debates, while not coming across as weak. He presents himself as a strong man, but it's a real strength built with thoughtfulness and compassion, rather than the phony strength of the weak george bush, who cowers under pressure. The repugs can throw out dem registrations all over the country, smear Kerry's military service on Sinclair stations, pull out their entire bag of dirty tricks, and it still won't be enough. John Kerry will easily win the election. And this time it won't be close enough to steal.

[Guaranteed]

1. Great analysis.

I think you're right, but folks were calling me crazy when I said Kerry won the election tonight.

[Barad Simith]

2. nominated!

too bad you can't hear my applause

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I agree...if I judged it from how I would want him to respond, he didn't

seem forceful...but forget about me..he reached the people that didn't know him tonight.

[Skinner]

4. I'm going to give this a kick.

:thumbsup:

[fugop]

5. CNN clip

CNN just showed clips of each candidate at the end of the debate in their "human" moments. Bush mentions love at first sight. Whatever. But then the clip of Kerry talking about marrying up, him more so than others, is PERFECT! It plays so beautifully as a short clip. He's smiling wide, the audience is laughing and the moderator just cracks up. Then Kerry smiles again when he says, "I can take it." It's just such a warm, warm moment.

I gotta say that while I liked the moment when it happened, I'm even more impressed with it when it's isolated as that little clip. ALl those who say Kerry is a haughty, cold aristocrat just lost their talking point. Go, John, go. I just love that clip.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. Kerry's clear, steady gaze into the camera; addressing the telelvision

audience as people-this alone won him many voters I am sure. Mr. Bush seems unable, or unwilling, to get down to the level of the average American.

[milkyway]

7. a humble kick.