Politics - Anyone see the last debate? What happened?

Ok, I know, I know VERY bad Ronie, but I didn’t watch the last debate. I have absolutely no good excuses.

I could say, I hate Kerry’s sliminess and he’s approach and I am tired of his politics instead of answering questions, or I could say “Hey I knew who I’d vote for anyway” but mostly we were watching the Yankee/Red Sox game and I truly was exhausted from school.

Odd part is the next morning I get the NY AM paper which has been following the debates and quickly (although prematurely) announces winners the next day. What do I see on the front page? Bush, Kerry? Nope, I see O’Rielly. I get to read some very very nasty accusations. I mean NASTY!

What happened with the debate, I wondered. Through the day I checked CNN.com and other sources. Not a word. All night I flipped through news channels, nothing. This MORNING I heard Kerry made a remark about Cheney’s gay daughter. My god how did THAT come up?

That’s all. Then Jim says “Bush must have done a good job cause the media has shut this one up quick”

So those who ARE Bush fans or TRULY indecisive voters, can you tell me what I missed? I am not saying I don’t want the opinions of the Kerry supporters, but obviously I expect them to say how Bush was stupid, stuttered or left them angry, etc. Basically I’d be amazed if a Kerry supporter EVER said a supporting thing about Bush so I can’t see them contributing here.

HOWEVER, if Kerry supporters wish to tote their candidate, be my guest. I am open to both sides arguments. I actually think Kerry says lots of bright and interesting things. Just freaks me out that he always says what he believes we WANT to hear and as soon as he says what you THINK you want to hear, I realize he’s making empty promises and I really don’t want what he’s offering.

I heard he was more concise on his ‘plan’, anyone want to elaborate?




(mind you I can only check LIW like twice today until 5pm)

I am a Kerry supporter and I feel he was great in the debate I mean how much can Bush act like a 2 yr old ?
All Bush can do is bad mouth Kerry for his whole debate time it is so obnoxious

Just had to add my 2 cents

I think some papers called it a drawer, some say Bush won, some say Kerry.

I think Bush had a decent outing - better than the first. He seemed much more personal and was in command of many of the issues. He ducked some questions, but then do did Kerry IMO.

Kerry brought out that Cheney's daughter is a lesbian which was sort of a low blow asking how she would feel if asked is homosexuality a matter of choice.

Bush seemed more at ease and excited to be there than the first debate whereas Kerry seemed more on the defense spouting all kinds of numbers - many of them not accurate.

I think Kerry is a better debater (his experience as a trial lawyer helps) but as Bush pointed out his rhetoric does not match his 20 yr record in the Senate.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/14/lynne.cheney.ap/index.html

Ahhh, me too. I didn't really see much but here are the transcripts.

The question that Kerry evoked Mary Cheney into was 'Do you believe that homosexuality is a choice?'. Bush's response was the typical Republican response (which is one of the things I actually don't agree with him on) and here's Kerry's. I've highlighted the totally uncalled for Mary Cheney reference.

KERRY: We're all God's children, Bob. And I think if you were to talk to **** Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was, she's being who she was born as.

I think if you talk to anybody, it's not choice. I've met people who struggled with this for years, people who were in a marriage because they were living a sort of convention, and they struggled with it.

And I've met wives who are supportive of their husbands or vice versa when they finally sort of broke out and allowed themselves to live who they were, who they felt God had made them.

I think we have to respect that.

The president and I share the belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. I believe that. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.

But I also believe that because we are the United States of America, we're a country with a great, unbelievable Constitution, with rights that we afford people, that you can't discriminate in the workplace. You can't discriminate in the rights that you afford people.

You can't disallow someone the right to visit their partner in a hospital. You have to allow people to transfer property, which is why I'm for partnership rights and so forth.

Now, with respect to DOMA and the marriage laws, the states have always been able to manage those laws. And they're proving today, every state, that they can manage them adequately.

You can't write Cheney's first name on LIW!!! It get's censored - look:

**** Cheney

And this was Bush's comments to the homesexuality question --

'I don't know. I do know that we a have a choice to make in America, and that is to treat people with tolerance and respect and dignity. It's important that we do that. And I also know in a free society, people -- consenting adults -- can live the way they want to live.'

But many people agree that Kerry mentioning Cheney's daughter that way was inappropriate:

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, traveling with Bush Thursday, didn't buy it.

'Maybe Sen. Kerry didn't appreciate the sensitivity' of the subject, McCain told reporters on Air Force One. 'Whether intended or not, it was very inappropriate.'

---

Posted by eogara



You can't write Cheney's first name on LIW!!! It get's censored - look:

**** Cheney

---

that is so weird lol

Try doing it this way D I C K

Kerry didn't have to say 'if you talk to D ick Cheney's daughter...' I mean there are tons of lesbians in the nation, why single her out? Because she's the Veep's daughter. He could have said 'if you talk to a gay female..' and made the same point he was trying to make. All he did was come across as 'D ick Cheney's daugher is gay and he doesn't accept it'

Other than that I thought Kerry did better, I felt that Bush sidestepped the immigration and affirmative action question by turning both into answers about education (I can understand the aff. action one but how do you turn a ques. on immigration into education?)

I did think that Bush did better than the last 2 times. And his answer regarding Laura Bush - he spoke from the heart. *That's* the Bush I'd rather see, not the one I see now.

My two or three cents:

I don't see why it matters that Kerry mentioned Mary Cheney. First of all, the fact that she is a lesbian is already a matter of public record. Second (and much more importantly) Kerry did not say anything negative about any of the Cheneys. Third, if the Bush gang wants to attack Kerry for mentioning personal things that are none of his business, maybe they should stop mentioning Kerry's Catholicism and Teresa's money. Are those things any of their business? Not so much.

As far as I'm concerned, Kerry won all three debates, hands down. It's not even a question for me. And, as I've said before, Kerry had to impress me too... I'm pretty far to the left of both major party candidates, and it's not like I watched the debates specifically looking to support Kerry. But he did impress me. I thought his best moment was his insistence (in the second debate, I think) on the importance of separating church and state -- a principle upon which this country was founded (a fact that lots of politicians and media pundits seem to have conveniently forgotten). His response to the abortion question was sensitive and articulate. I am also convinced by his comments on improving health care and strengthening the economy.

Thanks for listening and have a lovely afternoon!

interesting.

Although calling Bush a 2 year old was expected.

I appreciate the other comments given as detailed insight on the debate.

Thanks for the transcripts, I'll probably read them on the train ride home.

Then again, My vote is in.

I don't know why such a big deal is being made about Kerry's comment on Cheney's daughter.

Cheney has spoken about her at campaign events in the past when asked about his feelings about gay marriage.

Edwards mentioned her in the VP debate, and from what was said this morning on the TV, Cheney THANKED Edwards for his comments.

This is why I HATE politics (and I was a political science major in college). I hate how every little thing is spun and distorted.

I'll probably get slammed for my comments.

The Times has a full transcript. Nothing happenned that was really remarkable.

Kerry pissed me off BIG TIME when he mentioned Mary Cheney. Seriously. I think when Edwards did it, it was more tasteful, but seriously, he did NOT have tro go there. I know he was just trying to bring in a real life example to put a fcae on homosexuality, but that really bothered me, it seemed explotative

I think he did hit a home run though, for me at least in the way he described his approach and his feeling on same sex marriages (That homosexuals are born that way and it isn't a choice...I had to give an audible cheer on that one). And I also think he hit a home run on his direct answer about abortion. Whether you agree with him or not, I really have to give him props for giving the direct answer that Bush could not. I also really respected his answer about his own faith and keeping it separate and not imposing it on others. That eally resonated with me. I am a Catholic, but I don't care who is in office, they need to respect the myraid religions and beliefs in this country, inclding those who are atheists or belong to religions with vastly different constrcus than the judeo christian ones.

Bush refused to answer the question 'Will you appoint justices who will try to overturn Roe v Wade' and he said that he does not have a litmus test. However, either that's an outright lie (because he's been touted as the 'pro-life candidate), or he has a LOT of splainin' to do to his base, who are supporting him based on the belief that he will try to overturn Roe v Wade.

I didn't like how Bush brought EVERY question back to Education and really didn't answer any questions. I think Kerry did a better job of answering the questions more directly, but I don't think he had the landslide win he had in the first debate.