Kerry was successful in making Bush angry early on in the debate...

[kentuck]

and it threw him off balance for the entire debate. He got very defensive and snippy. That was where he lost the debate. He could not control his anger. Now the most important question is what can Kerry do to make him angry early in the next debate? :

[AwakeAtLast]

1. Give an intelligent answer.

Which will happen after the very first question.

:)

[Booster]

28. I think it was eye-contact. Seems he hates to be looked in

the eye more than anything, probably becaus he knows he's a fraud.

[LiberalFighter]

43. No no no no no... it's not that...

He needs to be the one looking into their eyes and especially their heart

[kestrel91316]

2. Kerry's people need to study the tapes closely................

to figure out exactly what pushed Bush's buttons so bad. He sure was in a snit, from about the first 15 minutes. He looked ready to explode, with the clenched jaw and glaring. What a prick.

[Walt Starr]

3. It's much tougher in the town hall format, but if done correctly, would

DECIMATE Bush.

Here's how. In his opening statement, Kerry MUST score a hit against Bush that depricates him severely, but is a joke, preferably about outsourcing or lost jobs.

If he starts off the night making the entire audience LAUGH at Bush, Bush will be off his game the rest of the night. It will be over except for the crying.

[kentuck]

6. "There you go again..."

I think the old Reagan quip would decimate him. :) Especially if Bush bring up the "flip-flopping" issue..

[RoyGBiv]

10. Yup ...

I was in a chat room last night during the debate and said the same thing. It seemed a perfect moment for it when Shrub repeated the flip-flop them for the upteenth time.

[Chichiri]

39. I don't know why, but I remember...

...Bob Dole saying "There you go again" to Clinton in a '96 debate. It didn't make much of an impact then; I doubt it would make much of an impact now.

[kentuck]

40. Timing is everything.

:)

[DemBones DemBones]

7. Right on, Walt! Damn, Kerry does know how to do this.

I still think he needed to hit back harder and earlier against the smear vets but hope he'll checkmate Bush* in all three matches and win the whole thing.

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

23. Of course Bush

will try to say something he thinks is funny and the audience will laugh and think he's being a bafoon but Bush will think he's successful and get his ego trip going on. He won't realize people are laughing at him, but not with him.

[LiberalFighter]

44. That would be one way...

someone making the audience laugh at gw*

gw* prefers being the one making fun of others... can't stand others laughing at him

[cheshire]

4. I heard * was pissed for the last hour and 6 min. that means less that 20

minutes to get him really pissed.

[Boredtodeath]

14. It was the Poppy quote

Bush was already mad, but when Kerry whipped out the Poppy quote about not going to Baghdad, Shrub went ballistic. Watch the replays - from that moment on, he was shaken and off.

[cally]

17. Yes...that's what I saw

We all anticipated this one, but it worked. * gets angry when you attack hid Dad. So just continue the attacks.

[mantis49]

18. Actually, I didn't think Kerry "attacked" Poppy;

He was respectful in talking about Sr's reasons for not going into Baghdad in 91.

And it's well known that Sr doesn't agree with Jr's actions. I think that's what made * angry: His father's views were being used to tear down his attack on Iraq.

[txindy]

19. Agreed. Kerry didn't attack Poppy, he praised him.

This * can't stand being compared to his father. He wanted to best his father with Iraq, now he finds himself being criticized for not doing the same as his father.

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

24. I loved it when

Kerry used his own father against him. Bush is always putting his dad on a high pedstal and when Kerry did that I was like "omg!" haha. Great moment.

[Sparkly]

26. He could easily do that in the next debates re: taxes

Remember, Poppy had to raise taxes to curb rising deficits.

The Chimp is too "resolute" to do that.

[KT2000]

32. Thought * was going to get a bloody nose

after hearing reference to his father.

He doesn't have time to get over that problem before the next debate.

[annxburns]

34. I am convinced Dubya has some sort of father complex ....

Remember that strange quote that he "listens to a higher father?" and he gets really really annoyed when reporters ask him whether he calls his father for advice.

Kerry did this on purpose I think. He needed to be really subtle about bringing up Bush I and I think he did it perfectly. He praised Bush I which totally left Bush II defenseless and angry.

[Dr Fate]

46. That is what I saw too.

n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Kerry was in control of the debate from start to finish

He would make a lucid, strong charge that Bush felt compelled to answer. Kerry had him dancing like a puppet.

Not that Kerry wasn't feeling the heat -- you could tell he was -- but he was disciplined enough to stick to what had to be done. Bush grinned and "aw-shucks"ed and stammered and lost his cool.

But what Kerry did was simply the most basic of martial tactics. Take the lead, keep your adversary off-balance, and call the shots.

--bkl

[DemBones DemBones]

I saw no sign that Kerry was "feeling the heat." What did you think

indicated this? Just curious.

[Dogmudgeon]

29. The heat on Kerry

First, he knew this was a do-or-die situation, and probably had heard all the (bogus) reports of Bush's mighty debating skill.

He knew he had to master Bush, but not trounce him. Anything less than mastery, and the Commentariat would declare Bush the winner; anything more than that, and they would claim he was a bully, and disrespectful of Bush. Unlike Bush, he didn't suffer "the Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations" but "the Hard Bigotry of Double Standards".

Walking a tightrope has got to be a nerve-wracking experience for anyone.

He made a couple of mistakes, like calling Lyubyanka Square in Moscow "Treblinka Square" and fumbling the "Pottery Barn Rule" line "You Broke It -- You Bought It".

Most (thought not all) of his smiles seemed a little tight. He held himself a little too erect. His vocal patterns became less spontaneous -- compare his debate rhetoric to his stump rhetoric. Yet, compared to Bush's meltdown, Kerry seemed flawless. And, yes, Kerry might have been reacting to Bush's rather unnerving self-disassembly. There were times when I thought Bush might either break down crying, walk out on the debate, or (try to) deck Kerry.

I'm not saying this to belittle John Kerry. I think he did a great job. But I'm certain he was feeling the heat, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Ultimately, though, most of that heat was from the pre-debate over-selling of Bush.

Kerry probably knows that perfection is never necessary -- in a debate, what you have to do is communicate. Which is why no one should underestimate Bush. But Kerry has enough experience to understand that a case of the podium jitters usually works to one's advantage.

And I know that Kerry has the necessary self-discipline to avoid overconfidence for the second debate. Bush will be better prepared, but I don't think it will matter. And if the buzz turns toward Kerry this week, Bush will scarcely be able to maintain his precarious emotional balance.

--bkl

[rasputin1952]

38. I think Kerry made excellent use of the first rule of warfare...

"Know your enemy". He did his homework, and I concur that he he felt pressure, after all, who wouldn't. It was his reaction to the pressure that counted, he held his cool, bush didn't...:)

Kerry beat bush to a pulp, but, like a true politician, he is letting the lesson sink in w/the people. This takes time, as it is "seed planting". The seeds are sprouting already. One of the most telling things I saw last night, was the audience response in the last 2-3 seconds of the program. If you watched CSPAN, immediately after the bush family left the stage, Kerry and Theresa were leaving stage right, Theresa got behind the curtain, and Kerry stopped for just one last wave good-bye, and the audience erupted into cheers! THAT shows me that he won handily. Sometimes, it is the small things you have to notice, and although it was a small item, it has immense weight. The crowd was with Kerry, and there lies the reality of the whole thing.

Finally, just because bush is an incumbent president, he gets ALL of the major press/TV spots. People have had very little chance to actually get to know Kerry, as the media has been manipulated for so long by the cabal, Kerry has been left in a shadowy world of sound bites and negative advertising. I think that when people see Kerry in action against the Village Idiot, they will accept that he is a good and decent person. I am, in all honesty, looking at a 60/40% victory for Kerry...and no, I'm not kidding...:)

[Dr Fate]

47. Kerry smiled, and took notes- welcoming every attack.

He never felt the heat- he was cool as an Eskimo.

[Nevernose]

8. I disagree; Kerry didn't make him angry

It seems to me as if Bush got angry all on his own. He was 1) frustrated at his own poor performance and 2) angry at the questions, which were entirely reasonable as opposed to the softball questions he's used to receiving.

I wonder if *'s camp was promised easier questions, he prepared for them, and then got pissed because the questions were too hard for him.

[AwakeAtLast]

15. You're right,

I wasn't even thinking about the difficulty of the questions angering him. I was thinking way too hard!

[zulchzulu]

I admit it: Lockhart said in the van that they wanted to...

..have Kerry come out swinging while being a gentleman. But mostly, they wanted to get the Chimp pissed off and forget his "lines"...yunno, the words...not the nose candy.

I'm sure Chimpy NEVER forgot where his cocaine was back in the day.

[zulchzulu]

9. DUPE

[ClintonTyree]

11. They'll certainly have to................

increase Bush's medication that night. He may be in a drugged stupor, that might be fun to watch. :-)

[RoyGBiv]

12. Bring up Daddy ...

Unless the color on my television was screwed up, Shrub visibly flushed when Kerry mentioned Poppy. I know he stood up straight, grimaced, took a drink of water, blinked extremely rapidly ...

[rasputin1952]

42. The blinking is a dead give-away...

once it starts, you know you've got him where you want him....:)

[txindy]

13. That's easy. Show up. Dare to question him.

Have the audacity to run against him. In an election year, no less! I mean, really. What nerve. ;)

Seriously, just Senator Kerry's daring to criticize * right in front of him seemed to set him off. Talking about the endorsements from the generals REALLY ticked him off. Everything ticks this guy off.

I tell you what, though, if John Kerry can come across as genuinely connecting with even one audience member in that debate, * will go 'nookular.' *'s biggest plus, for what it's worth, is his seeming ability to relate to people (carefully screened dittoheads, but still...). If Kerry is able to accomplish that quickly, * will just lose it.

[dweller]

35. Even better?

Take this country into a new horizon Senator Kerry.

Don't rely on the platitudes and well known statements of those incumbents/challengers that have been here before.

I want to hear John Kerry's vision of a sane and safe America again.

damn, it's been too long. . . but i think there are many, many others who desire the same bright place again.

show us the new way, we've seen all we want of the old way.
dp

[ThePhilosopher04]

16. Just more of the truth...

Bush is like an addict and we all know how defensive they become when presented with cold hard facts.

[undercover_brother]

20. and also what disarmed Kerry

Bush was very angry from the start. Both were also very nervous. Kerry soon calmed down and Bush just got more angry. What turned the tables and started to balance things out in the middle was the comments Bush made about Kerry's daughters. That exchange disarmed Kerry and calmed down Bush. It was one of the few strong moments for Bush. He seemed to get his stride more after that. It did not last for long, but for that moment he seemed to be composed.

But, overall, Kerry does not need gimicks like a straight tie, manicures, or a dark tan in order to win these debates. The President's position on issues and his understanding of international policy is so out of whack with common sense that when he is set side by side with someone like John Kerry and they both are allowed to discuss issues it becomes crystal clear who is right and who is not right for the job of President.

So stop trying to find the best gimmick, October surprise, etc in order to help Kerry win. Gimmicks are what are used on the campaign trail in stump speaches to preapproved, prescreened crowds. During the debates we get to hear and see much more closely how they compare. There are still 2 more to go and unfortunatelly for the President, these next 2 are not on issues which favor him as much as the first debate. The President's performance in the first debate may just be his best one yet. The next two could could end up being even worse for him.

[NightOwwl]

36. Hey undercover_brother

"Kerry does not need gimicks like a straight tie, manicures, or a dark tan in order to win these debates."

Not quite undercover enough.

[kentuck]

37. Why are you under cover, brother?

:)

[MO_Dem]

21. I didn't hear one, single, solitary gasbag say

today that "Bush looked comfortable in his own skin"! Remember how they all patted themselves on the back and congratulated each other in their shared opinion (probably straight from Rove's desk) that Bush seemed so comfortable in his own skin, and Gore didn't, during the 2000 campaign?

[kentuck]

27. Yeah, what happened with that "Bush looked comfortable in his own skin"

....bullshit ?? :shrug:

[Jane Austin]

22. Now that Kerry has beaten him soundly in a debate,

the vengeful Bush will focus all his hate on him.

I wouldn't think it would take much for Bush to get angry next time he sees him.

Kerry knows that the way you deal with enemies is to be calm and smart.

Bush, being a bully and veneful, will just get angry.

[ThoughtCriminal]

25. I wonder about Bush's practice for debate

Probably shortened - hard work you know.

Did an aid "Play" Kerry in practice debates. Did they play him accurately or as they see him?

I can imagine that even in practice, Bush's aids don't like to play "devil's advocate" in fear of bringing rath and loss of job status.

4 years of avoiding tough press conferences has caught up with him.

[Leilani]

30. Shrub has been Emperor too long!

That is the problem!

The guy lives in a bubble, with yes men all around.

The guy is dumb as dirt, but nobody calls him on it.

He answers to no one...no questions, no press conferences, no dissent from Congress, (with Repub majority) no protesters, no one allowed who disagrees.

The Boy King has an attitude of: Send for My Tasters!

Last night he had to face real life & he couldn t handle it.

[grace0418]

31. Well, clearly the comments

about his daddy and Halliburton really got the steam coming out of Dumbya's ears, so I'd say find more stuff like that and keep picking at the scab. I want to witness a full-scale meltdown on live television.

[ZombieNixon]

33. That brilliant handshake maneuver

at the beginning started the avalanche. That was a great move. Bone to FReepers: maybe Kerry could pull the tie caper again.

Jokes aside. Kerry should praise Eisenhower, Reagan and Poppy as much as possible, and paint Bush as disparate as possible to them. That's get him off. You know, Lloyd Bensten style "I knew Ronald Reagan, and you, sir, are no Ronald Reagan" or something.

[Vincardog]

41. Challenge him early and often. He has been surrounded by yes men and doesn'

t know how to deal with anything except absolute acceptance and fawning.

[rasputin1952]

48. Very true...when people are in a constant state of butt-kissing, it is...

difficult for the kissee to know what the kissers look like, much less think about. Even in "bushworld", there has to be some inkling of sanity; he has to realize he has NEVER succeeded at ANYTHING he has ever done.

Funny thing about truth...everyone demands it, but few accept it...:(

[ProudDad]

45. I think he had him from the start

When Kerry came in, grabbed the shrub's hand and made him look UP at him, WAY up at him.

Then when shrub tried to run away to his podium, Kerry wouldn't let his hand go, jerked the jerk slightly and then let go of his hand. VERY well done and put shrub off guard right from the start...

Masterful...

:spank:

[kodi]

49. C-Plus Augustus is not used to criticism

As I watched the opening round, I was reminded of the opening of Rocky III and how Clubber Lang beat the living snot out of Rocko. Bush, like Rocky had a manager who had protected his charge from any direct and difficult confrontations...until Clubber, and until Kerry.

As soon as Kerry attacked, Bush was both stunned and miffed that his positions were even open to criticism and acted like his performance as president was above examination.

Bush is a psychotic megalomaniac who is a direct threat to the peace and safety of this planet.

Prediction for Bush for the next debate…….




PAIN!!