The first debate is over, and I’m sure the flurry of blog entries about this will begin across the net. On CNN, they were already talking about the “blogger” reaction within minutes of the closing statements. CNN has joined the party by making their Crossfire guys give minute by minute comments during the debate. See Paul Begala and Bob Novak‘s comments but I most enjoyed the hilarious responses of Jessi Klein. My own reaction? Well, the more reasonable side of me wants to concede that Bush probably managed to get us to remember the phrases “mixed messages” and “It’s hard work” (He said this 11 times) and, “Of course I know Osama Bin Laden attacked us.” Otherwise, I think he did a pretty solid job at giving us those comical pauses of bewilderment, “deer in headlights” stares, and desperate struggles as he reached for just … one … more … intelligent … sentence before the yellow light went on.
I think Kerry babbled too much sometimes, but was much better at imitating the 5 word, 5 syllable sentences that for some reason seem to resonate so well with public opinion. I think everyone wants to believe that the word is full of binaries, that there isn’t real complexity, and that, to use a metaphor by Jessi Klein, freedom can be “spread” like peanut butter.
UPDATE: I remember one more line I liked, Bush’s constant pleading to Kerry that he acknowledge poor Poland in the coalition of the bribed and coerced. Here is what Aleksander Kwasniewski, the Polish president has to say about his country’s participation: “They deceived us about the weapons of mass destruction, that’s true. We were taken for a ride.” (Via Hit and Run)
UPDATE: FactCheck.org has an article detailing the factual errors of each candidate in the recent debate.
Kwasnieski also had this to say:
“It’s sad that a Senator with twenty years of experience does not appreciate Polish sacrifice. . . . I don’t think it’s a question of ignorance. One thing has to be said very clearly: this Coalition is not just the United States, Great Britain and Australia, but there’s also contribution of Polish, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Spanish soldiers who died in Iraq. It’s immoral to not see this involvement we undertook because we believe that we have to fight terrorism together, that we need to show international solidarity, that Saddam Hussein is a danger to the world.
“From such a perspective, you can say we are disappointed that our stance and the sacrifice of our soldiers is so marginalised. I blame it on electioneering–and a message, indirectly expressed by Senator Kerry–that he thinks more of a coalition that would put the United States together with France and Germany, that is those who in the matter of Iraq said ‘no.’
“President Bush is behaving like a true Texan gentleman–he’s fighting for the recognition of other countries’ contribution in the Coalition.”
from the Opinion Journal
Thanks for posting this addition. I have added an update to the posting to respond to you.
I’m just becoming more and more apathetic. Bush or Kerry, no matter who wins, it seems that America still loses.