OK, you've slept on it. How are you feeling about last night's debate?

[WilliamPitt]

Please do not let my sig link interfere with your judgment. ;)

[MallRat]

1. After much independent thought, without input from anyone else...

...I've decided that it was a rout.

:-)

-MR

P.S. Good to see that you've stopped banging your head on the desk. That could've left a mark.

[SoCalDemocrat]

89. I think he could of been better on one point with your help

Bush used Zarqawi in the debate last night to tie Saddam to terrorists and Al Qaeda in justifying the war.

If you had ran a nice op-ed piece exposing Bush for protecting Zarqawi and his base from Pentagon attacks, maybe the Kerry campaign would of been prepared here to slam dunk Bush!

Ok, so you can still write the piece. It's not too late to get this talking point out in the media. This point undermines the entire Bush claim to being strong in fighting the war against terrorism. He's dead in the water on this issue. He claimed they were a dangerous Al Qaeda base, yet he protected them for 18 months following the 9-11 attacks from repeated attempts by the Pentagon to destroy them.

I don't know how much more DAMNING you can get.

So when can we read the William Pitt editorial on ZarqawiGate?

[troubleinwinter]

2. THRILLED

[H2O Man]

30. The word "THRILLED" reminds me ....

I'm a retired psychiatric social worker. I had worked with a fellow who was a boxing fan. He loved Joe Frazier, and hated Muhammad Ali. When he was experiencing the symptoms of his psychotic illness, he would bring a handful of boxing magazines in, and tell me that he had figured out that Frazier had actually knocked Ali out in the Thrilla in Manilla.

I would point to where the magazines reported (accurately!) that Ali had knocked Frazier out, by TKO when the referee stopped the fight. He would say that the secret to understanding the fight was to realize that Ali had actually quit four rounds earlier, so Frazier won.

Listening to the Bush campaign workers try to spin the debate strikes me as about as reality-based as the fellow who "knew" Frazier knocked Ali out in Manilla.

[Parche]

3. debate

Awesome
I gave Kerry a grade B+
and GW Bush a D-
Kerry kicked some Bush A$$ last night
Bush was an embarrassement to himself and the US
He sounded like a broken record all night

on to the next debate where Kerry will wipe up


This is what I predicted a long time ago
Kerry would win bigtime and this would determine the election

[Longhorn]

18. Good point about the B+.

It gives Kerry room for improvement. If he had scored an A+, the expectations would have risen to an impossible level for the next debate. I think all eyes are on Bush* the next time and he will melt.

[TriMetFan]

4. I say President Kerry

:kick: and gave Bush a :spank:

[BurtWorm]

7. Please! It's President Gore until January.

:spank:

[proud patriot]

5. Wooo Hooo !

:bounce: I sit on my front porch to drink my coffee
and read the paper every morning . If the honks of support
I got this morning are any indication , Kerry made a big
impact last night . Even a public bus driver honked as
he went by in the bus ...LOL

[medeak]

6. euphoric and taking credit

It had to be the candle I lit....

[mzmolly]

8. I am feeling stunned that anyone in the media can say it was a "tie"

with a straight face.

Kerry kicked *'s ass, Bush lost credibility and so did many in the media. Last night removed ANY doubt I had, that the media (by and large) is biased toward George Bush.

Many of the pundits looked like they were at a funeral ;) ... but their rhetoric was :crazy: full of Bush spin.

[VOX]

9. Couldn't be more pleased.

For all the constraints of the format, Kerry did an outstanding job with both his form and content.

He really came off as the president we *should* have, and that we can have.

Top marks to Kerry. :thumbsup:

[Avalux]

10. On cloud 9

Honestly - I was proud to drive to work this morning. I was hoping everyone behind me on the road was a shrub supporter - stuck staring at my Kerry bumpersticker.
Undecideds I know at work approached me about "our boy" and are now on the bandwagon.

One comment - "I can't possible vote for anyone that stupid (shrub)."

:bounce:

[Jo March]

11. I was almost too elated to sleep

Funny because I slept better than I have in weeks. I had a good feeling that Kerry made points with undecided voters. In fact, I received emails from two of my friends who weren't voting for Bush but didn't really like Kerry. One was planning to vote for Nader. Now they both say that they are impressed with Kerry, feel better about where he stands and plan to vote for him out of support and not just because he isn't Bush!

I just told them that I've been a long-time supporter of Kerry and directed them to his website. They both said that they would check it out.

I am feeling pretty good. These are the kinds of people we need to convince. If they aren't feeling good about Kerry, then they are more likely to chicken out at the polls and vote for *.

[SammyWinstonJack]

94. I too slept better than I have in well, months.

When I was finally able to fall asleep, that is...the excitement kept me awake for awhile. And for the first time since bush* stole his way into the WH, I was in a great mood upon awakening. Thank you President Kerry! :yourock:

[Jo March]

107. Wasn't it a great feeling?

I felt hope for the first time in a while. Hope that my children might get to grow up in a free country. It was wonderful.

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

145. I was very excited

about the debate. I couldn't wait anylonger and was about to pop. Finally on the debate I was so excited. I did listen to both canidate's even though I'm for Kerry (of course) and have heard people say Bush is an excelent debator. I sure didn't hear it on the debate. After the debate was over I was so hyped up I didn't fall asleep until around 4:30am. :bounce:

[cheezus]

12. I was expecting a knockout and didn't get it

when Kerry failed to completely destroy Bush, I figured that the media would spin it for bush.

in retrospect, Kerry played it exactly right. He burped the can of whoopass, but never let the cover off completely. Bush pretty much beat himself -- he was terrible.

Feeling much better today

[Longhorn]

43. That's a good point -- better for Bush* to screw himself than for

Kerry to annihilate him during the first date. Apparently, the American people don't particularly like those who are TOO intelligent and articulate. But they do know stupid when they see it!

If so many don't really know Kerry, as we hear over and over, then this was a good first introduction. He still has room to increase the intensity as necessary in the last two debates.

[951]

13. I'm not going to let the media ruin that perfect moment so I'm turning

off the TV and listening to Air America

[truthseeker1]

66. Question about your sig line

Isn't Michael Reagan the son of Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman? Or are you indicating that he is Wyman's son with another man? If so, I never knew!

[ZombieNixon]

123. Michael Reagan was adopted

n/t

[Zomby Woof]

139. sig pic correction

That was Ronald Reagan and Jane Wyman's son...

[AmandaRuth]

14. The best thing is, and I know this to be true, as I

personally know 3 people, is that it turned ABB people into Kerry people. To me, that is significant.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. it was great

though i wish kerry had done what bush did...find a phrase that everybody like whether or not its true (ex: America is Safer)...and say it over and over again...

[blondeatlast]

27. "LIAR" would work, IMHO. nt

[madmax]

16. Everyone doing a jig in this house.

Yes, it was a rout!!! :bounce: :kick: :party:

[blondeatlast]

17. It was a rout.

Incredibly happy.

Kicked halfway to Crawford, and TWO debates left to get him there!

YESSIR.

[HFishbine]

19. Even better than when I went to bed (eom)

[cheshire]

20. Amazed at how so many saw * as doing well. Happily suprised at

just how many of *'s mistakes Kerry talked about in 90 min. Kerry was on top the whole time he lead the debate. * was the comedy for the show.

[Lugnut]

21. I feel good!

I was very nervous about this debate before it started. I think you misuinderestimate * at your own peril because of his catch phrases and talking points. Last night it just proved to me that he's an empty suit. All he has is his rhetoric. All hat, no cattle indeed.

[BJ]

22. Not a knock-out, but our ersatz-cowboy king's groggy.

There's two more rounds. Kerry'll black Dubya's other eye in St. Louis and deliver the haymaker in Tempe.

[Sophree]

23. Your article summed up my thoughts on the debate perfectly.

He was exposed. My constant prayer throughout the entire debate was, "Please God, let the American people see in * what we see so clearly."

A disturbed, arrogant, bumbling, mean-spirited rectum-hole.

May I also add that I loved how pissed * was when Kerry talked about Poppy. Whoever told him to say that is a freakin genius.

[blondeatlast]

39. Al Franken had a great line regarding that.

Kerry: "I knew George Bush. I was a friend of George Bush. You, sir, are no George Bush."

I swear someone at the DNC was listening to AAR yesterday.

[Sophree]

55. George "Wanna be like his daddy" Bush

I believe is the way Lila Lipscomb's son put it. From the mouths of babes.

[Demi_Babe]

24. I feel great about it

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

25. Kerry is THE man!...

and Bush is his biatch.

[izzie]

26. I think Kerry did well and like a thinking men like Kerry

--

[soleft]

28. I was waiting all morning for your post on this

You, and Kerry more importantly, didn't let me down

[gasperc]

29. we need to keep working the post debate spin, get ready for #2

they are busy lower expectations for Bush and will pummel Kerry with every little statistical mis-step

we'll need to be twice as ready and work 10 times harder for the next debates.

[wolfgang]

68. i agree and here are the points we have to counter(m)

My Freaker co-workers are already throwing in my face that Bush performed like he did in order to "bait" Kerry into making the following points that THEY are telling me the American voters will criticize Kerry on:

Kerry saying that a "global-test" must be passed as a condition precedent to taking pre-emptive military action,

Kerry saying that he opposes nuclear-tipped bunker-busters

Kerry saying we should agree to bi-lateral negotiations with North Korea.

(If any of you can help me counter my 'pug coworkers, I'd love you for it).

I'm also thinking that Bush's performance last night is Rove's way of "lowering expectations".

[gasperc]

76. Foreign Policy is supposed to be Bush's strong suit

why would Rove be trying to lower expectations???

This was Bush's oppurtunity to crush Kerry and coast to election day, now they have to fight tooth and nail for re-election

I expect, some nasty ass dirty trickers from these mother f

[belle]

79. I think if it were me, I'd just laugh at 'em. You can't debate with

someone that stupid. As for opposing nuclear bunker-busters--well, yeah, and the problem with that is...? "Mini-nukes" are an EPICALLY bad idea, and only a total wingnut thinks otherwise.

As per bi-lateral N. Korea, if you want to bother: R. Clarke answered that rather nicely last night; words to the effect that hello, nobody sane thinks that having bilateral talks with N. Korea is going to piss anybody off; and in fact the reason that things hvae deteriorated as badly as they did over the last couple of years is that we *did* drop the ball on communications with them. Bush screwed up. You don't taunt a known paranoiac and then leave him to stew in his own juices. And China took over the talks because *we* didn't do it. Now China is using this to lord it over us. It looks *bad* that we're not talking to them. It's an idiotic point. And sure, that probably *is* what K. Jung Il wants. Just because a nasty person wants something doesn't mean it's ipso facto a bad idea to agree; the question is whether what they want is reasonable. Asking to have talks is not out of line. Bush has been playing a stupid and simplistic power game based on the notion that Kim Jung Il is "bad" and therefore should not even be spoken to. We need realpolitik. Kim Jung Il certainly is "bad," but he's now "bad" with nuclear weapons. Clearly making menacing motions in their direction and then letting other countries do our work for us isn't working out very well. Also: North Korea is desperately poor. The reason talks *had* been working was because they knew that they needed to open up communication even a little bit in order to continue to survive. Now they're still desperately poor, but with nuclear weapons. Really bad combination, wouldn't you say?

[Bongo Prophet]

104. Since they are for "pug coworkers"

We'll try to keep it simple.

1>
global test = smell test. as in "Sheesh, it has to at least pass the smell test."

2>
Do we want another nuclear arms race? Do we want to use them first?
do we want the fallout from all the dirt kicked up to kill the innocent, sicken our troops, and bloww all over the place shortening lives in the process? Granted, this may have no effect on them whatsoever...

3>
Do we want China negotiating for us- how do we know we can trust them?
Don't you think a good statesman could hold multinational talks AND bi-lateral talks at the same time?

Maybe that's a start...?

[wolfgang]

137. Thanks, and sorry about your Tasha...(n)

[Princess Turandot]

148. On the bilateral business, he did mention the 1953-53 armistice..

which ended the war with NK. China was party to that armistice, along with the US as well as SK. So, I'm not sure he was talking abt excluding China specifically, or if he used 'bilateral' just to contrast it with the current talks which include european countries as well, don't they? The armistice had much broader implication than nuclear weapons; it addressed human rights, leaving SK alone, the DMZ etc.

[tavalon]

159. Well, then, Rove did a fine job

because they can't be lowered any further. I had very low expectations for Bush (and privately worried that he would somehow exceed them) but he smashed to the ground.

I really, really think it's intervention time. That boy needs AA.

[MsTryska]

31. like i won the lottery.

hope really is on the way!

[MrBenchley]

32. Great!!

Kerry had a grasp of actual fact and a mature view of the world. He radiated intellgience and confidence, and has actually led men into battle. He understood the nature of honor and the need for what Thomas Jefferson called " a decent respect to the opinions of mankind."
Twitchy's view seemed childish, and he seemed ill-informed and ignorant. Heconfused Hussein and Bin Laden, seemed unaware that China and Japan were holding direct talks with North Korea, and claimed that he had brought A. Q. Khan to "justice," when in fact he sat with his thumb up his doughy ass while Pakistan pardoned Khan.

Not even I thought the overmedicated crook would flop that badly:
"My concerns about the Senator is that, in the course of this campaign I've been listening very carefully to what he says, and he changes positions on the war on Iraq. It's a -- changes positions on something as ff -- fundamental as what you believe in your core, in your heart of hearts is right for -- in Iraq. I -- you cannot lead if you send mexed miss -- mixed messages."

[Rambis]

33. I have decided that

I am not going to let anyone tell me what I saw and how to think about the Bush Ass Whoopin! Kerry in a landslide!

[cali]

34. Proud of and happy

about Kerry's performance.
Gleeful over bush's misfiring brain
hopeful that the "it was a draw" meme is sinking beneath the weight of the truth.

As you said. It was a rout. Indeed it was.

[tom_paine]

35. FAN-DAMNED-TASTIC!

Better than I've felt (about this stuff) in years!

HUZZAH!

Hope is a beautiful thing, ain't it?

[Sophree]

41. It surely is!

:hi: :-)

[are_we_united_yet]

36. It was a rout.

Anybody else feel that way?

[juajen]

37. I feel great!

And vindicated.

[EndElectoral]

38. Great..only two things I wish Kerry had done

1. Called Bush on the China issue in North Korea more. As Biden pointed out afterwards China has ASKED for bilateral talks. It would have made Bush look out of touch with foreign leaders.

2. Kerry talked about a global litmus test for taking pre-emptive action but did not clarify those standards as much as I would have liked. As a result Bush is using it today.

The answer was quite clear. America faces an "imminent" threat and ALL diplomatic avencues have been exhausted, AND we have atttempted to create a large international coalition of allies. By his own CIA director Tenet's proclamation "Iraq did not pose an imminent threat" In fact Bush said later "I never sadi imminent."

Kerry missed the opportunity to hammer that home.

He did have ole GW floundering esepecially after Iraq didn't invade us Mr. President. Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda did.

I thought that was the most powerful moment of the debate.

I am mazed watching the conservative media trying to spin reality today. Unbelivable. By the end of this week, they'll have convinced thesmelves Bush won the debate. What a laugh. Can you spell annihilation...? That's waht it was, or in Bush's words a "vociferous" annihilation....

[girl gone mad]

40. One word: elation.

that's what I feel.

Kerry's performance was like a shot of adreniline for Democratic political junkies.

:)

[northernsoul]

42. feelin' pretty damned good, thank you very much

I don't think Kerry threw the knockout punch, but he got in a bunch a good body blows and made 'em hurt!

:kick:

[MuseRider]

44. EXCELLENT!

I slept better than I have since the selection. I have always liked Senator Kerry, he was my second choice but I have never felt totally confident that he could pull this off. Now I feel very optimistic, elated in fact. He was there for US, this is not all about him and that contrast was very apparent last night. I hope others saw that difference between Kerry and Bush*. Kerry could handle anything that came up and I would feel so confident in him. Man, I keep going on. I feel good ala James Brown. I think a little boogaloo is in order.

[mahina]

70. I still think * was chaneling Dana Carvey's 'Church Lady' all night.

Hi prissy smirky little expression was just her all over. He should just wear the purple suit next time.

He seemed infantile. How about when he said "Osama Bin Laden doesn't get to decide what we do...." He's not the boss of me!
He used the 'they think Allawi is like a puppet' line as though he had never heard the expression before, as if we thought he was literally a puppet. Is he that stup...oh never mind.

I was horrified that anyone could consider this man fit for the job. And so very proud of our man. President Kerry is going to be a great president and he will lead us out of this darkness but he's gonig to need the senate and the house to do it right folks so help those guys out too!

Kerry SMOTE!
Smited? nah- he smote.

[Sophree]

83. He smite, she smite, you smite

He done smote!

Great word.

[lil-petunia]

45. I was not too happy. I had other hopes:

i really was hoping that the shrubs meds' would malfunction and he would start screaming at the top of his lungs about how the lord personally told him that he ordained his presidency and would force the US to vote for him.

But it didn't happen. dammit.

But Kerry did very well. Very well, indeed.

[NoPasaran]

124. Or maybe start playing with some ball bearings

And muttering about strawberries

[lil-petunia]

157. one of his best roles. Except, shrub doesn't

have the brain power of the captain.

[Jersey Devil]

46. It was a Jeter homerun in the bottom of the 9th

The Yankees win! Th-eeeeee Yankees winnnnnnn! Excuse me, but I am more excited about John Kerry's performance than I am about the Yankees clinching last night, which is pretty scary, considering that I may be the biggest Yankee fan in New Jersey.

Kerry launched a tape measure dinger!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

47. Actually I am thinking it was even more of a trouncing than I

thought it was last night. I think it was brilliant. Kerry was totally solid on the facts and his grasp of the issues. He was presidential. He didn't attack bush, he attacked bush's policy decisions. He was classy, he was confident, relaxed. He conveyed strength.

Bush looked like a whiny, bratty, petulant child. He was horrid. You have to be eating the Kool-Aid as straight POWDER to believe he did well. Seriously.

And you know what this has done for me? I was already a Kerry supporter and everyone I know already knows it. But this has made me want to be even MORE vocal about it in my real life. I live in the Dallas area and the way I feel right now, I would like to INVITE someone to come up to me and start talking smack about Kerry right now. I will spank them the way Kerry spanked bush last night.

You know what Kerry did? He spoke truth to power. And it was fantastic.

[Kimber Scott]

48. "Thank God and Greyhound he's gone!"

I'll be playing that in January and thank John Kerry for "getting the job done!"

[KittyWampus]

49. He Forgot POLAND!

[THUNDER HANDS]

50. It was like watching an episode of Law & Order

with Kerry as a prosecutor and Bush as a dumb criminal about to be put away for life.


Kerry will OWN all three debates.

[irancontra]

51. Giddy.. this is the best Friday I've had in a long time

KERRY 100 | CHIMP 0

[SW FL Dem]

52. Still Giddy!

and enjoying watching the RW talking heads try to spin this! It's been a good day - I just got the list of registered Dems in my neighborhood. What a day to start my phone banking.

[nini]

53. I feel 'Hope is on the Way'

I really do. I am beginning to see light at the end of this whole 4 year nightmare.

[geniph]

54. Not a slam dunk, but we drew first blood

and blood in the water will attract the media sharks. Once they turn on the shrub, his days are numbered. 32, to be precise.

I still want to know what the hell the coked-up silver-spoon fratboy was actually trying to convey when he said we were fighting vociferously. Vociferously? What a dildo. It is an international embarrassment that that arrogant, spoiled, pampered, inarticulate, slouching little brat is the leader of the free world. It's not MY FAULT, I didn't vote for his daddy either! THIS is what's supposed to protect us from the scourge of terrorism? I wouldn't let that staggering imbecile behind the wheel of my car.

Um. OK. Is anyone still in any doubt as to my opinion?

[Francine Frensky]

56. "Catastrophic Success" for Kerry -- we just stormed Freeperville and

and toppled the Bush statue in only 90 minutes, and now we need to figure out what to do for the next 32 days.

[David Zephyr]

57. Uh...It Was a Rout.

Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day.


:)

[MuseRider]

74. I've got a beautiful

feeling. Everythings going our way! BIG :D

[BeyondGeography]

58. All the pundits agree with us

That's the amazing part to me.

[indigo32]

59. Awesome

no two ways about it.

[in_cog_ni_to]

60. Great Job by Kerry and

YOU were GREAT on Mike Malloy last night! You should be a regular on his show! :hi:

[obnoxiousdrunk]

61. Not only was it a rout

Kerry was able to plug Outsourcing,Halliburton,stem cell research and tax cuts for the wealthy. Me thinks that was brilliant.

[gulliver]

62. One major omission by Kerry, IMO.

Kerry said he was going to add two new divisions to the Army but did not say they were going to be all-volunteer. We all know he has no intention of going to a draft, but it should have been made explicit.

Bush made a point of saying that the military was going to remain all-volunteer. He patted himself on the back for it too with a little smirk of satisfaction.

Otherwise, I think Kerry did exceptionally well. He definitely had presidential poise, courage, and intellect. Bush was disgraceful, an embarrassment to the country.

[tavalon]

162. Hmmm

I know we all want to believe that Kerry won't institute a draft and goodness knows, it's less likely under his watch but to box himself into that corner could limit him to one term.

We've got a disaster on our hands. Unless he gets them out fast, the draft may come, even under his watch.

[tridim]

63. The post-debate fence sitter polls were spectacular

I still maintain that the debates taken together will result in about a 10 point total swing toward Kerry. About 90% of undecideds and 20% of light Bush supporters will swing our way. The quick poll results all confirm this theory.

[stellanoir]

64. "what I learned" is a 3rd grade prompt

What I learned. . .is that when one surrounds oneself with sycophants for nearly four years, it becomes very hard to supress one's pubescent inability to react to criticism in a neutral way."

Yet today, * is out saying the same old schtick to his supporters.

Why oh why is it so hard for people to comprehend that someone can support something until they see that it's being completely undermined by incompetance, insensitivity, and blatant corruption? It boggles my mind.

Kerry was fantastic. * is a dweeb.

[Sparkly]

65. Ecstatic

:D

[Mick Knox]

67. he did a damn good job nt

[eleny]

69. I watched some of W's spinners and thought....

Since these are the same people he listens to regarding foreign and domestic policy - no wonder America is in trouble.

I felt that Kerry would do well in the debate because he enjoys debating. There was no doubt in my mind that he would keep to the time limits and be well prepared for the topics. I was delighted when he exceeded my expectations.

[NewJeffCT]

88. I've had your headline in my head all afternoon now

In the old Howard Cosell accent - "Down Goes Fray-shuh!"

I'm still happy about last night.

[Monument]

71. IT WAS A DOWN HOME AS$WHUPPIN! TEXAS STYLE!

I am often very critical of Kerry and his speaking style, and wasn't expecting too much from our man.

Boy was I wrong.

I thought two things:

1) Kerry was wonderful. Powerful. Articluate. Clear.

2) Bush was hollow. Repetitive. Speaking only in sound bytes.

Add those two things up and I'd say that JK WHIPPED bush last night. I think it honestly is a GREAT day to be a JK supporter. His points armed the populace with the kind of language they can use around the dinner table.

[molly]

72. Marvelous, darling, simply marvelous!

:grouphug:

[Phillycat]

73. OOWWW! I FEEL GOOD duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh!

I KNEW THAT I WOULD NOW! dun nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh

[YpsiH2Otwr]

75. It was indeed

a rout.

[Jo March]

111. Welcome to DU, YpsiH2Otwr!

Welcome! What a wonderful day to start posting!!!

[i_c_a_White_Ghost]

77. Super

Kerry won the hearts and minds hands down

[RobinA]

78. Kerry Did Great

Bush did horribly. Politically it was a tie. No minds were changed. Bush backers don't care that he is a moron, or they wouldn't be Bush backers.

[Oddman]

80. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give Kerry a

20!

[Skittles]

81. Kerry was presidential; Boy George was not

couldn't ask for a better outcome

[Triana]

82. Jubilant but disgusted...

...with the media punditry (as usual). When they give Kerry credit at all, they do so only very begrudgingly. Bastards...

[mvd]

84. Just as enthusiastic!

One major difference is that Kerry was able to combat Bush's shallow but memorable catch phrases. From the start, Bush looked nervous (he went too far over to Kerry.) Kerry's expressions were very measured, while Bush looked out of his league the whole time.

I can't wait for the domestic policy debates! (assuming they're brave enough to have them)

[Claire Beth]

85. a slam dunk for Kerry last night! n/t

[Technowitch]

86. A 'rout' it was indeed

[Booster]

87. Extremely pleased with Kerry, extremely pleased by Bush's

petulant performance, but extremely not pleased with the cable pundits today. I'm hoping Kerry's camp are thinking of more buzz words that piss Bush off for the next debate. Pissing him off right off the bat worked very well for Kerry.

[rtassi]

90. He got the Ass Kicking

he so richly deserved!
On Edit: HE (Bush)

[sandnsea]

91. Honestly, it's all in the spin

And I think by Monday it'll be spun that Bush is strong for America and Kerry wants to cede our security, that Bush may not be a great speaker, but action is what matters. Or something like that. He could have stood up there and whizzed on the stage and in 3 days they'd say he was putting out forest fires, I swear to god.

I just hope everybody remembers how truly awesome John Kerry is next week and ignores all the crap on the teevee.

[dave123williams]

98. Bush's problem is that he's not a good THINKER.

Kerry made this abundantly clear last night. What a rout :)

Their spin starts to look pathetic and self-delusional this morning.

[umtalal]

92. I was partying all night and scored and I feel good.

Finally we hear brilliance. Finally we can get a leader that "might" get us of this fucked up mess.

[spanone]

It was a rout!!!!

[spanone]

93. It was a rout!!!!

[democratreformed]

95. I no longer have the ability to be objective. Damn, it was good,

huh!?!

[txindy]

96. Happy, happy, happy, happy!

Did I mention I'm happy? :party:

That was the most lop-sided debate I've ever witnessed. I expected
Senator Kerry to be good (and he greatly exceeded even those expectations, much to my surprise), but I NEVER expected * to be so
incredibly petulant and completely lacking in .... well, EVERYTHING.

And I'm happy! Oh, and Senator Kerry? :yourock:

[funkybutt]

97. I haven't woken up in such a good mood in 4 years!

[markus]

99. Energized

I probably felt yesterday about the same way I did during the Dukkakis Debacle 12 years ago on about the same date.

Today, I see a path to winning.

[MODemocrat]

100. Bush looked and acted insignificant

John Kerry did a great job; and to think that I had dreaded watching it after all the hype I'd heard about Bush being a master at debating.
Couldn't be prouder or happier with John Kerry. He's what I call an
intelligent and well read person. Hope he will be our next president.

Here's to the president in waiting! :toast: :thumbsup:

[JerseygirlCT]

101. TKO. The trick now is not to let expectations wipe out Kerry

next time. He's going to have to fight just as hard the next time, and Bush probably won't be quite so sound asleep at the wheel.

I think he made a smashing start, but I don't want anyone to get too relaxed. It's not over yet!

[CrispyQ]

102. Our boy's a closer!

[xyboymil]

103. Giddy..just down right giddy! I was blown away how lop sided it was..

Kerry kicked his ass from the 1st bell on.

I have never seen Bush look that bad. Ever.

[MagickMuffin]

105. Still Ecstatic

Kerry handled himself very well, as I expected him to do.

He could have really hammered him on several issues, but I suspect he held back for fear of being to aggressive.

Some of the things I wish he would have address were the Saudi connections to terrorists, Bush threats of vetoing the $87B because it called for the tax cuts being recalled (but would have informed the public that the tax cut was more important than our soldiers lives, by not providing the equipment that was lacking, it would also have put to rest why Kerry withdrew his support out of protest), he should have challenged Bush about sending mix messages on the mess in Iraq, by stating that Bush told the insurgents to "Bring It On"
what kind of message is that to our troops (here they are putting their lives on the line and the president of the US tells the enemy "Bring It On").

He could also have mentioned the BCCI, and how he helped to close down that bank that had a lot of terrorist money flowing through it. That would have been very impressive, it would have shown how he is determined to stop terrorism at the financial level.

I think those were some of my biggest complaints, but hey I'm sure he must've had a good reason, although I really can't think of what they might be. This was his opportunity to show the citizens of the US and world that he will not be silenced.

Other then that I think Kerry was very effective and well informed about the issues. He spoke within the alloted time frame and looked very presidential.

Clearly Bush does not have a grasp on reality. He only knows what is going on by watching TV, and what his handlers tell him. He looked like the court jester that he is.

[hyphenate]

106. It looked like we've

been vindicated for our past four years of saying Bush was incompetent, and the right wing has questioned "our" sanity when we've insisted we were correct. I feel as though now, that the population can see Bush "naked" we no longer need to feel as though our sanity was in need of being questioned because we could see right through Bush from the beginning.

As the old cliche goes, the "shoe is on the other foot" now, and the right wing has to try to explain and prove that Bush has any qualifications to continue to run this country, other than to run it into the ground.

[Warren DeMontague]

108. Despite the inevitable media spin cliches

"No one delivered a knockout punch"
"Both candidates were strong in laying out their core beliefs and values" (Bush's core beliefs, apparently, having mostly to do with not answering the question presented him)
I remembered why this man is our nominee and our next President.

I pointed this out to my wife this morning; do you think that, if it was the other way around, and Bush had cleaned Kerry's clock the way Kerry cleaned Bush's, the media would be bending over backwards to portray it as a "near tie" with "two strong performances"? No. They would be falling all over themselves to write Kerry's post-mortem, and saying "It may not be over yet, But everyone agress that Kerry is in deep, deep trouble" ... Problem is, you have a combination of a corporate-owned media with a palpable hard-on for four more years, that is simultaneously cowed by 10 years of right-wingers screaming "liberal bias".. Bush could have wet himself on stage, and they still would say that he "did a good job laying out his core beliefs"...

That said, I think you'd have to be comatose not to see this as a substantial -and obvious- Kerry win; I mean, even if you take Dubya's whiny stammerings, repetition, and fully apparent mental implosion out of the equation, Kerry came off as informed, calm, strong, resolute, and very, very Presidential. The only people who aren't going to get that are the ones that didn't watch the thing.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

109. Since you asked, pretty damn good! And so are other Kerry....

...supporters I bumped into today. It's nice to be able to say that our side got in some pretty good body punches during the first round.

[myrna minx]

110. Ecstatic!

This is one of the best days I have had in a long time. n/t

[wadestock]

112. Kerry could have easily put the confused position about the war to rest...

He did great, don't get me wrong....but I came away very disappointed he didn't start off with a strong....

"I'd like to clear up one thing if I could at the onset...

All this talk about my supposed flip flop on the war, or funding of the war comes down to 2 simple facts..

#1- I believed the president and voted to authorize his use of force, which reflects nothing of my current beliefs about how the president is handling the war.

#2 - Of course I believe that the troops should be funded 87B dollars and that we should succeed in Iraq now that we've gone in there...but my vote against the 87B was a protest vote for the sake of telling the president that at a time of war, it makes no sense whatsoever to continue the tax breaks to the wealthiest people in our country.

Instead, he may have stumbled on the comment about "making a mistake"....
Time will tell to what extent they blow that up....

Otherwise, he came very close to also blowing Bush out of the water with his statement "I don't have designs on Iraq"....implying that if you vote for Bush...you're getting a lot more than just an invasion of Iraq....you're signing up to the belief that America can start a democracy in possibly the last place on earth that would support a democracy....with designs on the rest of the region as well.

If he had developed that a bit further...or if Lehre had the brains to prompt him....we would have had a grand canyon size difference between the two, instead of something that is hard for most people to put into perspective...

[DemExpat]

113. Feeling very, very GOOD....Kerry was superb.

The whole world saw it.

The whole world hopes.....

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

DemEx

[trogdor]

114. It was as breathtaking...

...as the time the Yankees got beat 22-0.

[BlueNomad]

115. ...Let's just say

I am finally in love with my candidate, not ABB, not sort of like him, love him. He did a superior job and looked the part.

and Oh yeah.....he also took his figurative ice hockey stick and slammed it over bush's figurative brain. Let Rove spend the weekend wiping up the mess.

[liberal N proud]

116. The later in the day the better I felt

That may have made my whole weekend bright, even though it supposed to rain while canvassing for Kerry!

[Joanne98]

117. I was pleased considering the fact that we've been getting our ass

kicked for the last two months. I think he has to lay a fatal blow on him in the next one and Kerry better have an EXCELLENT answer ready for the TAX spin. Oddly the happiest I felt all night was when I was watching Karen Hughes spinning afterwards. If made me remember when Merly Streep said she used KH in her character in the Manchurian Candidate. She looked CRAZY!

[Nederland]

118. Not quite as enthusiastic as you

...but I believe Kerry did well. Hopefully the spin won't change the conventional wisdom, which at this point is saying Kerry won.

Am I too cynical?

[CalProf]

119. It was good. But he'll do better

in the town hall. The media expect that to be Bush's advantage (of course they said that about Foreign Policy, but still...) but I've seen Kerry in a town hall, and he's terrific at them.

He's very much at ease and comfortable ranging over a number of different topics, and he's actually very good with people one on one.

Of course for expectations purposes, everything I just wrote is completely wrong, because we all know Bush is a champion debater and he's sure to triumph mightily in the town hall format....

It's getting hard to keep up the ruse, but I'll keep trying.

[Joe Turner]

120. I'm on Cloud Nine

Was so happy to see John Kerry pop Bubble Boy's Bubble and watch Shrub dissemble into the Spoiled, Insecure, Petulant Man-Boy he is. It was a pleasure to watch.

BTW congratulations William on that outstanding article you wrote today on your blogger. You really nailed it and it's getting around on the net.

[noamnety]

121. Bush's plan for Iraq, and the 87billion

What I heard from Bush was that his foreign policy plan consists of telling the troops what they want to hear. That's it. No basis in truth, no basis in facts or strategy. Just tell the troops whatever you need to, to make them think it's going good.

On the $87 billion, I don't know if this has been said before or not, but it hit me last night that the majority of senators voted AGAINST giving the troops body armor on the first go round. The majority of them voted to send troops into combat without body armor.

And then, those same senators, after they voted against it, voted for it. Are there people out there responding to the flipflip/unprotected troops with this counterattack, instead of just acting defensive?

I am still outraged that Bush had the gall to say he never dreamt he'd be attacking Iraq when he campaigned in 2000. Since so many of his administration signed the PNAC note in 98 saying they wanted to invade Iraq, either Bush lied, or he was not adequately informed on the issue when running for office/when selecting his cabinet.

finally, some feel good post-debate comments from a board of graphic designers:
------------------------
Kerry won this round from my viewpoint ... which is saying alot since i'm an evaaaaal republican.
--------------------------
all i got to say is that after this debate, and with edwards, i'm a full hearted Kerry supporter. I'm going to get a bunch of stickers, going to do what i can to help out in my own way. i'm even thinking of putting a Vote Kerry think on my site and take my site down till the elections. He won me over.
----------------------------
I wasn't much of a Kerry fan before tonight, but he seemed VERY Presidential to me. Bush just seemed to be saying "I know you are but what am I" all night long...
-----------------------------

[Digit]

122. I walked on air today...

So many people tuned in and could plainly see the difference between them.
Not the stuff taken out of context, not just sound bites.
People could finally see who the REAL leader of our great country should be.

[foo_bar]

125. Kerry spanked the monkey

[BrotherBuzz]

126. Bernie Ward (KGO radio) read your piece last night

It only cemented my thoughts on the debate. I think you have a new fan on the west coast because that was the second article penned by you that Brother Bernie read in as many days. What a hoot!

Sig line? I'm struggling with a dial-up so I turned all that crap OFF ;)

[NoPasaran]

127. I feel great

Kerry brought a gun to that knife fight. Bush* had a spork.

[Elidor]

128. We stood a tall man up next to a midget & he looked like a giant

Not to demean Kerry's performance, which was sterling. Hell, he even made a fan of me. I still reserve the right to bitch and moan about him...I just can't remember at the moment exactly why I would even want to. The man is underrated by his own party.

[marlakay]

129. Happy all day!

I feel good that I made up my own mind last night Kerry won hands down before I heard anyone else. I knew they would try to spin today but they can't take it away!

[Generator]

130. It's a beautiful day! n/t

[ZombieNixon]

131. WOW! (with a caveat)

INCREDIBLE!
:) :-) :D :party: :toast: :bounce: :thumbsup: :kick: :loveya: :grouphug: :headbang: :headbang: :yourock:

I thought Sen. Kerry got it just right. My mother was firmly in the ABB crowd until last night. She was bitching about an inept campaign until last night. She was saying Kerry ins't forceful enough...until last night. Conversely, it's amazing how badly the BuSHITes delude themselves saying Kerry didn't pull it off. Samples include:

"I don't think Kerry's a good alternative."
(Of Bush) "At least he doesn't contradict himself all the time, like Kerry does."

CAN YOU BELIEVE THE NERVE OF THESE GUYS?! These all came from my AP Gov. class this morning. I think two others and I are the only firm Democrats in that class. Luckily, most of the rest of them won't be voting.

How to get a free vote:
1. Approach a Republican.
2. "Well (insert name of Republican here), you know, we disagree on absolutely everything, so if you vote, and I vote, the outcome will be the same as if we both don't vote. Why don't you spare yourself a trip on Election Day and stay home?"
3. Then go vote anyway.

It's good Kerry didn't score the knockout punch last night, b/c then in the Town Hall and on the Domestic Issues he can really de-pants Dubya. This was supposed to be W's strongest issue and he crashed and burned! The town hall mtg will be a good one to play Bush Bingo at, b/c we're likely to see him squint and giggle while talking about tax cuts and 9/11 all in one sentence. Sorry for the length. :toast:

[MrSlayer]

132. Very Pissed Off.

After it was over and Kerry had mopped the floor with Chimp I was ecstatic only to wake up this morning to find my "liberal" newspaper declaring that Bush won and Kerry did not provide a knockout punch. This is absolutely ridiculous and just shows the media bias that we are powerless against. What more did Kerry have to do? He completely shredded the flip-flopper argument and rendered it impotent, he crushed Chimp in every way possible yet the boob still won? I'm beside myself with rage.

[tavalon]

163. I'm guessing

you've sent your letter to the editor? If not, get cracking.

[BootinUp]

133. It was the last 4 years distilled down to 90 minutes.

nuff said.

[ReadTomPaine]

134. Will, it gets better when you watch it more than once.

I've watched it 3 times so far and each time I view it, Bush looks progressively worse and Kerry better. Has there ever been a debate performance as poor as Bush's last night in modern politics? What's worse from the GOP perspective, is that the fault lay squarely with the man they have chosen, not his handlers. That's not a problem they are capable of repairing, just avoiding.

RTP

[ScreamingMeemie]

135. I'm just not sure....

;)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=946342&mesg_id=946342

[Cha]

136. I enjoyed reading your

routing of bush!

Everyone I talked to today..thought bush looked like an idiot and they were glad to see him up there making a fool of himself in front of so many people.

Although, I had one friend who was wearing a Kerry/Edwards pin.. say she thought they both did a good job(!?)..she had to teach a music lesson and couldn't stick around long to debate that insane statement..so now I'm just left wondering how she could have thought bush did a "good job"..

I did say .."all he did was lie so how could that be a good job?" :shrug:

So many people ..so many different reactions.

[Davis_X_Machina]

138. It has been axiomatic...

...for a generation that if you give the electorate a choice between a real Republican, and a fake Republican, they'll choose the real Republican every time. (Watch out, Tom Dasche, by the way.)

We'll know soon whether it's also true of a real president and a fake president....

[gordianot]

140. There is so much here.

If the Republicans picked the format I would have to say it worked to Kerry's favor. This was high drama I have read the transcript twice. Senator Kerry has to hold back for this debate. Kerry shook Bush. Kerry clearly won.

[Zech Marquis]

141. an all day buzz of joy

I was on cloud 9 :bounce:

[Kahuna]

142. Kerry: Kind, polite, regal, presidential, smart, likeable.

The chimp is still a chimp.

[chieftain]

143. STRONG!!!!

[Generic Other]

144. It's the moonwalk moment!

Ever since Nove. 2000, there has been a thin line between being commander-in-chief of the most powerful nation on earth and being a freak like Michael Jackson. Bush crossed that line.

[demzilla]

146. Chimpy finally jumped the shark (n/t)

[kayleybeth]

147. Two words:

We Won.

[Dr Fate]

149. The word on the street-Kerry kicked ass!

I'm on the street daily- everyone knows John took control...

[JCMach1]

150. Still good! Here are some of my comments

Bush clung to the rhetoric of the stump and his oft-repeated mantras sounded like the bleatings of a petulant sheep instead of the constant steadiness of a proven leader. Even when Bush really tries to sell the rehearsed flip-flop lines his timing is just plain off. He is cruising on mediocrity and the tank is empty... http://www.thesyndrome.com/archives/00001121.htm

[fujiyama]

151. Relieved

I was feeling really nervous about the debates yesterday. As I was driving I saw a lot of B/C stickers as well...

I missed the debates live because I had some stuff to finish at school. Later that night, I got to my car and listened to the BBC. They called it a "tie". I knew right then that it went fine and Kerry must have done well. I also heard some clips and they sounded concise and confident. It was more of the convention speech Kerry than the old boring droning Kerry. The time limit really was good for him. It forced him to keep answers short.

I saw the entire debate on C Span later that nigh and was really impressed. It was definetely no tie. Bush came off as an immature brat, while Kerry was wise, confident but not cocky, polite, and very statesmanlike. He did whatever he could have done - and whatever he had to do.

Very impressive job. Kerry has kept himself in the race.

[Tsiyu]

152. I am going to agree with Randi Rhodes on this one

I never get AAR where I live, but managed to catch a snippet of 1690 as I drove through ( shudder) Georgia tonight. Randi spoke of the calm she felt hearing Kerry speak. Or one of the Clintons.

"When Democrats speak, the clouds part in the sky. The birds sing. The children laugh and play..."

I also caught a sense of peace from John Kerry. A reassurance that politics haven't been completely taken over by evil scum.

There is so much on my mind and in my heart these days. Because of who and what and how I am, I cannot even debate politics without sounding like some wacked-out street preacher. I come to DU because there is little opposition to my core beliefs. I've become like Repukes: single-minded. But my motives are better.

And John Kerry's motives came through as "better" last night. Just as he displayed an even, unwavering temperament, Bush displayed poor impulse control, seething anger, lack of focus and lack of concentration.

Bush's motives have been clear since before he stole the Office. They were made more clear last night. He does not have the intelligence, the experience or a willingness to accept responsibility. These are traits which every great leader must possess in order to do the best job for the people he or she governs. I want to see a DESIRE to know what is happening in the world. Again, a great leader would have that desire burning in his or her heart.

The only desire I see coming out of Bush is the desire to cover his own ass.

To me, and I repeat myself again, the big prize offered by the debates is that elusive Undecided Vote. Undecideds are working parents, business owners, people too busy to read the reams of crap we DUers sift through. They wait for the debates so that they can actually lay their eyes on the candidates and listen to their opinions on the issues.

If no one here ever criticized *, he still would be declared the loser. The undecideds have spoken, and I have been grinning like a sot all day. I don't really care how they spin it. I don't believe anything else the media say. Why start listening to them now?

Thanks for asking.

And I agreed with that sig afore I saw it!

[nolabels]

153. One battle is not the winning of a war and................................

Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Gloating before your goal is complete is a recipe for disaster. These folks didn't spend a couple of generations and the toil of all them year 30 or 40 years just to give up now.

They all might not be that focused just now, but some still are. Novak didn't fall down and break his hip because he was having a casual day. Just really think about what is at stake for these people.

Mark Crispen Miller and few other people didn't think most of these right wing wackos would go down in just a little whimper. I am waiting for the plump lady to sing myself.

[Tsiyu]

155. Desire doesn't become reality

unless you believe that what you desire can happen.

Metaphysical reality check.....

[tavalon]

164. This is true, however,

we need our occasional moments of glee. I for one know that this will continue to be tough and am on board. But, there haven't been many joyous moments since 2001 (politically speaking) and I need the battery recharge from time to time to keep it going.

Cautionary point taken, nonetheless, I AM GLOATING! Kerry kicked ass!

[Hekate]

154. "If this had been a boxing match, it would have been stopped"

That's exactly what my husband said last night. His very words. He said Bush looked sick, lost, confused, way out of his depth -- and that someone should pull him out of this race and take him home.

My son's girlfriend had a Kerry debate-watch party with a couple of dozen there; meet-up style so there were about 10 people she didn't know. Apparently more than a few were active 12-steppers who picked up all kinds of signals that Bush is in trouble that way.

Me? I'm so scared I'm going to wake up in November 3 and find out he's still president that I'm not going to do any dancing until I'm sure the moving van is on its way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Thanks for the Freeper-update. I love the part where they stop wringing their hands when someone suggests Kerry cribbed the questions.

Uh-huh, kiddies. Just because your frat-boy never studied for an exam in his life and paid others to write his papers (metaphorically speaking; I claim no special knowledge), it doesn't mean the class valedictorian didn't study his ass off night after night to get where he is.

Hekate

[Hekate]

158. Kerry on letting Osama go: Bush "outsourced that job, too"

(Tried to edit earlier, but lost my connection)

I thought Bush was pathetic and an embarrassment to the nation. Kerry did very well; timed intervals helped him enormously in being concise. I especially liked Kerry's turn of phrase when he called Bush on dropping the pursuit of Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora and turning it over to some warlords: "He outsourced that job too!"

My unease comes from the way the tv media will help the GOP spinmeisters by repeating what they say -- as Jon Stewart said at the end of The Daily Show, "Read about it in tomorrow's papers to learn that you didn't see what you saw tonight. Now here's your moment of Zen." Already the debate is said to be "a draw," when what we saw on the split screen was a man on the ropes.

Hekate

[Swamp Rat]

156. It was awesome!... but now back to work. There are too many evil bastards

working for Bush&Co to let our guard down. Karl Rove, Rupert Murdoch, and the neocons haven't magically gone away just because Kerry whooped Bush in one debate.

[NoPasaran]

165. That's right---Debategasm's over

We have just a few days to register new voters who are excited about our candidate and then just a few weeks to get them to the polls. Think how great we're going to feel when we wake up on November 3!

[quaker bill]

160. Nicely said

It was a rout. It was a bloodbath. You are correct, were it boxing, the referee would have stopped the match.

[tavalon]

161. Actually,

I'm feeling much better today. I was working last night (all night) and so did not get to watch the debate. However, at 3am I read a transcript and while the monkeybrain didn't sound all that intelligent - by transcript he didn't look as horrible as I had secretly hoped. This morning I saw the actual debate. OMFG! Just goes to show - words ain't everything. His performance was far worse than my most fervent hopes. I wanted him to look bad. He looked worse, much worse.

In a fair race, it's already over. Kerry has won. Alas, this is not a fair race but I'm feeling great hope.

Oh, and I am so grateful that I won't have to deal with dozens of calls from depressed Dems next week at the HQ. I just hope we get in the promised shipment of yard signs - methinks we will be having a lot more requests!

[unfrigginreal]

166. Kerry clobbered him

I expected him to do well but I was blown away by the way Kerry made Bush look like an unthinking petulant asshole.

A note of caution though, Kerry must not be seen as belittling Bush. Let Bush do that for himself. The reason that I bring it up is that I heard a news report this morning using that term, belittling, in describing Kerry's attacks on Bush at rallies yesterday. Kerry has a tendency to change to a condescending tone when things are going well in the campaign and he needs to avoid that. A tone that wasn't apparent at the debate the other night and one that is rarely seen from him when he knows that he's behind.

[Catfight]

167. I feel good sticking with doing what is right yet it isn't easy. Kerry

is a winner. Bush is the epitome of a loser, he's never accomplished a damn thing on his own and it's not going to change.