Round 3: Bush Grins, Spins but Doesn't Win - WPost - Shales

[Cassandra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31374-2004Oct14.html

" An essentially dignified and thoughtful performance by Sen. John Kerry, contrasted with an oddly giggly turn by President Bush, combined to give the last debate of the presidential campaign to the challenger last night, but very narrowly.
Bush seems to have been taken apart and put back together again after each debate, reassembled according to estimates of how he'd done. Last night it looked as though his handlers had told him to smile, smile, smile, especially when Kerry was trying to make points, points, points.
<snip>
"A spirited and wide-ranging debate" was Tom Brokaw's estimation on NBC. Jeff Greenfield on CNN, talking over the roar of those rackety students again, felt that "neither candidate" made the most of his opportunity. Over on Fox, though, everybody threw bouquets at Bush, especially that sickening, simpering suck-up Morton Kondracke, who hailed a "much better performance" by the president than last time. Smirking right-winger William Kristol said that of Bush vs. Kerry, "He slaughtered him," a manifestly ridiculous contention."

Some very sharp words, especially for * and the media.

[takumi]

1. ". . . BUT VERY NARROWLY"?

You've GOT to be kidding?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. I wouldn't worry

40-50 million Americans saw first hand that it was not a narrow victory. No media spin can undo that.

[takumi]

7. Excellent Point!

[apnu]

4. yes... narrow races sell papers and advertising

It's a sick thing really, and the GOP takes advantage of it.

To them a win is a win, no matter how bitter, narrow and dirty it is. In a close race they need only a little voter fixing (see NV and OR) to get a "win"

And because tension sells, the news world will do anything and everything to help out.

Weather or not the news corps knows about that or not is debatable.

[Thrill]

2. Bush fuked up with the Washington Post

when essentially said they weren't crediable

[LiberalAndProud]

9. He was so close to making a HUGE mistake

I really wish he had finished that thought. Seems he caught himself (a few seconds too late).

[DemocracyInaction]

5. Gee, did someone finally catch on that panty waist giggles

He giggles when he's talking about war and dead bodies. He giggles when he's talking about job loss. He giggles when he talks about people without health coverage. He's just one big Chuckles the Clown....and they only caught that NOW!!! Looks like some in the media this a.m. are desperately trying to portray this debate as kinda a toss up. Bullshit. They know a lot of people were watching games last night and they want them to hear the word "tied" this morning. Bush filled 90 minutes with nonesense. Kerry filled it with 90 minutes worth of distance run.

[Tracer]

6. I shut the debate off at abou 9:45.

I can barely stand * at the best of times, but last night truly put me over the edge.

The constant sloppy grin, the laughing, the smirking, the joking, the lying made me run screaming from the room.

Better, far better, to watch my Red Sox go down (again, sob), than to torture myself with the Turd-in-Chief.

[On the Road]

8. "Oddly Giggly" Bush

I can't believe that made it into the first paragraph.

[Cassandra]

11. Actually, that phrase was on the front page...

of the online edition; that's what made me click on the story.

[gratuitous]

10. Okay, we're talking about undecided voters now

Anyone who's undecided at this point is probably immune to facts, reason, logic, or information. They will vote on their feelings and perceptions, because they truly can't be bothered to take the time to learn about the candidates' respective records or positions on the issues.

Soooooo, who "looked" presidential last night? Who projected an aura of leadership? I caught about a minute of CNN with the sound off while buying my morning cuppa today. Kerry looked like he should be the president. Bush looked like an overeager first-timer at an open mike night.