In the next debate...Kerry should

[Nazgul35]

come out swinging....

This was the debate Bush was most afraid of! Real people asking real questions....

That's why Bush's handlers worked soo hard to ensure that no surprises would occur...hence people have to submit their questions ahead of time...

The perfect thing Kerry could do is at the end of his opening statement simply state that:

"I know that people were required to submit their questions prior to the debate and told that if they changed their questions would get cut off. I want to state right now that anyone here tonight can ask me whatever they want and I will protest if anyone cuts off a question from one of the citizens in this room tonight."

It will put Bush in the position of having to do the same....and than he will have to answer unscreened questions from the audience...

Or he will hold to the rules and come off looking really bad, thereby highlighting his "boy in the bubble" image developed last Thursday...

[Goldmund]

1. They settled on the rules.

And I assume they don't allow for a public challenge of the rules.

[Nazgul35]

4. Maybe you missed it than...

In the first debate, when Lehrer suggested changing the rules...Kerry said as he laughed that that was ok with him....

So I don't think he'd be too upset to put Bush on the hotseat...

[Craig Roberts]

14. Well...

If Kerry just changes the rules for himself, presumably making it more difficult for himself since he is opening himself up to unexpected questions, then how can Bush's people complain? Bush doesn't have to agree to change the rules with regards to questions directed at him. Kerry would theoretically be putting himself at a disadvantage.

But, of course, Kerry would look more open and more capable just by agreeing to let people ask different questions, and if Bush didn't do the same thing, it would make him look silly by comparison.

I think it is a great idea.

[Robbien]

2. We should just STFU with our "advice". Kerry does just fine

without all these back seat drivers.

[Nazgul35]

5. What are you his mother?

Seriously.....what harm does it do to discuss it?

Many a good idea has been genereated up from the blogsphere....why supress a discussion about it?

I think a better bit of advice would to not be so cocky about the next debate....you'd be a fool to think the bar hasn't been lowered by Bush's performance in the first debate.

Any increase in performance by Bush will be seen as a win. Bush needs to opened up to exposure to the people.

[Robbien]

9. A "Kerry should do" thread implies to me that Kerry is currently

doing bad. Discussing ideas is great, I guess it is just the presentation.

Perhaps it is just me, but "Kerry Should" thread titles are irritating where idea threads are interesting.

[Nazgul35]

11. fair enough

no way in hell am I going to say he did a bad job.....he kicked Bush's ass Thursday....

I am just suggesting a possible tactic that could expose Chimpy to questions we have wanted him to answer for three years...

Kerry will be fine.....its the idiot I want to face the people for all of his crap and nonsense....

We need closure!

:evilgrin:

[Robbien]

13. You are right,

A real question and answer session would bury Bush and Kerry would shine. And it would be great if at least once in my lifetime Bush actually had to answer the questions for which we are owed answers.

[Syrinx]

10. This is a Democratic message board

And we shouldn't discuss the strategy and tactics of the Democratic nominee?

:wtf:

[Syrinx]

3. I think he should turn the tables on the bush

He should point out all the issues on which Bush has "flip-flopped." There have been many.

[Nazgul35]

7. It's even better when average citizens do it...

shows Bush hasn't been getting away with it and average citizens are more willing to pay attention to issues raised by other citizens...

This debate could by the final straw for Bush, if the people in the room are allowed to ask real questions....

This is one time when I support no special protection for monkeys!!!!

[madrchsod]

6. he`s a prosecutor.

he`s building a case for his presidency-his summation will be the last debate on the economy.

[Nazgul35]

8. Did I not state myself clearly?

I think everyone is confused as to my purpose of Kerry doing what he is doing....


This is a town hall meeting debate coming up...that means the people asking the questions are citizens, not reporters.

People ask better questions than reporters because they actually care about the answers to their questions...so people watching will take offense to someone not answering a question, or Bush pulling his faces when average people are asking the questions....

It's about Bush, not Kerry.

Kerry will be able to handle this easy, but the Bushies got special rules that will allow the media to screen out the real surprises and make the whole debate easy for him...

Kerry saying damn the rules...ask what you want shows he is not afraid to face the public and willing to answer any questions asked, at the same time forcing Bush to answer questions he has never been asked to this day, because the media is afraid to....

The people will not be afraid to...

[unblock]

12. chances are REAL good that that's against the rules

the 32 pages of rules in the first debate included such things as neither candidate could propose mutual pledges (e.g., "i ask my opponent in joining me in returning and refusing all corporate PAC money" or "... in permitting direct questions from the audience")

so most likely they will have agreed not to do this sort of thing.