Debate Two
752 PM CDT Once again, I will do my best to live-blog the debate. Hopefully, the President will dominate.
806 – Once again, the moderator says only he knows the questions. Interesting, how he stresses “certainly not the candidates”…
808 – Kerry asked about ‘Wishy Washy”, instead begins by claiming President is guilty of “Mass Deception”. Blames Bush for everything he flipped on.
810 – Kerry changes the subject, plays the “jobs lost” card.
810 – Bush gets a jab in. I like the way W points out the changes began when the primaries did.
812 – Q2. The WMD question for Bush. Nice answer to start, mentioning that 9/11 changed conditions and each situation is unique. Notes 75% of Al Qaeda captured. Better tone than last week, much more teeth, better confidence.
815 – Kerry says world is more dangerous because Bush went to war. Denies changing his mind, and tries to tie it to jobs. Claims he never changed his mind, but doesn’t follow it up. “Rush to war”, eh? Hope W doesn’t let that pass.
816 – Bush nails Kerry, points out specifics. Kerry almost mumbles his response.
818 – Kerry back to stump speech mode. Back to his mystery ally mode. I wonder if John realizes how stupid it is, to suggest bribing countries to join us.
820 – Bush slams Kerry!!!!! Saw the opening, points out Iraq elections, and our existing allies, and the fact that Kerry is suggesting what we are already doing.
“Nobody is going to follow somebody, who doesn’t think we can succeed”
Standing 8-count for K.
822- Kerry is repeating himself. Somewhere, even Edwards is shaking his head.
823 – Bush explains Diplomacy and American Values. Brings up Reagan, points out how people thought Dutch was stubborn for being principled. Points out Reagan was unpopular in Europe, too. Niiiiiccce.
Points out we have large coalition, and we do what is right, not popular.
825 – Kerry is on auto-yak. Not good for him.
826 – Kerry surrenders to France. he actually said that before voting in the US CONGRESS, he visited with the UN. That won’t work in America, Senator.
827 – Kerry is in trouble, and he knows it.
829 – Kerry actually just suggested that if we had left UN inspectors in Iraq (and Saddam in power), Iran wouldn’t be a threat!
Now he claims that Bush did nothing with North Korea.
Ahhhh, now it comes out. We need the French and the Germans and the Russians, says Kerry.
snirk
831 – Bush points out we are working with Iran, and points out that Saddam in power is Saddam as a threat. Discusses N Korea, points out bilateral talks got us into that mess, and it’s exactly what Kerry suggests.
832 – Q for Bush, how do we maintain force w/o a draft? Bush says we are not going to have a draft, period. Details the transformation of our forces. He just raised the stakes.
834 – Kerry doesn’t support a draft. Talks all around the question of improving force. Claims we are over-extended. Almost a good answer. Oops, tries to claim “back-door draft”, can he lose any more points with troops? Once again claims he will add 40,000 troops
836 – Bush: “You tell Tony Blair we’re going alone!” Go get ‘im, Mr. President!
Kerry is basically unable to respond, except to repeat auto-yak.
837 – Kerry is asked why there have been no attacks on US soil since 2001, and says essentially “I can’t tell you”. Rather bland answer, back to saying we are not safe, blaming tax cuts for danger he sees.
839 – B: “That’s an odd thing to say, since we’ve tripled the Homeland Security budget” ZING!
Then reminds that Kerry voted to cut Intel, again and again. Solid.
842 – Kerry still claims that a tax cut is bad.
842- Bush admits he’s worried about Terrorism, and says the way to beat them is to spread Freedom.
843 – On to Domestic issues, good transition by Bush, points out FDA needs to be sure drugs are safe, not just cheap. Brings up Senior drug discounts. Well done.
845 – Kerry says Bush lied. Uh-huh. Claims Senate passed it, but President somehow blocked it in the House (huh? How does the President block it w/o a veto?) Ahh, the old I’m for the little guy canard.
846 – Buch points out Clinton also supported making sure drugs are safe. Says he did more in 3 1/2 years than Kerry has in 20.
847 – Kerry says “We [Dem] balanced the budget” in 1997, and made jobs. Hmm, and saved puppies and built houses for homeless orphans, I bet.
848 – Ooooo, Kerry gets to defend Edwards. Haha, Kerry just noted he is a lawyer, just like Edwards. Not a good move, I think.
849 – If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that instead of defending Edwards, he attacks the tax cuts, saying “I have a plan”. Says that a lot. hmpf.
850- Bush says Kerry “is gonna tax everybody here” LOL. Points out Kerry missed a chance to vote on Medicare help this year. LOL again.
852 – Bush: “you’re [Kerry] for capping damages? You should have shown up in the Senate and voted for it!” ZING!
853 – No Veto question to Bush. Explains that we have a deficit because of the recession, ’90s bubble popped. We are at war, and he’ll spend what he needs to, to win. Good answer.
855 – Kerry says that his health plan is not what Bush described, says government has “nothing to do with it”. Sure. Now claims Bush was handed trillions, claims Bush has lost jobs. Kerry is playing class warfare, so I guess he’s looking for the Welfare vote. Lame.
857 -Bush responds by pointing out recession, pulls out the rug on Kerry’s claims.
857 – Kerry is lying, claiming that Bush lost 1.6 million, but in the time frame noted, jobs went way up. Kerry loses this round.
858 – Q asks Kerry to promise no tax increase for people under 200K, plain language. Kerry says yes, but immediately starts spinning, gives 2 specifics (child credit, tuition), waffles on the rest of his answer. Repeats no tax hike, promises “tax cut” but no details, and lots of fluff.
901- Bush says Kerry is not credible. Points out all the times Kerry broke Senate spending caps, all the new proposed spending.
902 – Bush says we need low taxes, energy plan, caps on litigation.
903 – Bush “He has a record: He voted 98 times to raise taxes. It’s not made-up.”
904 – Bush and the environment. Wetlands protections, diesel engine modifications, inner city renovations, Clear Sky initiative to remove sulfur dioxide. Wildlife preserves, he sounds greener than Al Gore.
906 – Kerry claims Bush is throwing labels around. Kerry brings up cops (?) on an environment question, budget comments. “One of the worst administrations in history”, but no details, no support. Senator Scrooge, is Kerry. Why, he’s almost scowling!
908 – Kerry is actually trying to defend the Kyoto Treaty?
908 – Jobs Q for Kerry. How can US be competitive in Manufactuting? basically, Kerry will make workers competitive, by attacking their employers. Again, Kerry thinks “rolling back” the tax cut will be good for business. I don’t think it’s selling well. More promises, no logic.
911 – Bush reminds us (in answer to a Kerry Heathcare shot) that liability reform wil lower heathcare costs. Bush points out that experts say Kerry’s plan won’t work. Explains energy plan, points out Kerry isn’t voting ni the Senate, even for the programs he says are good. Reminds us that small businesses will be hurt by tax hikes like Kerry proposes.
913 – Kerry admits you can’t stop outsourcing.
913 – Kerry tries to claim that Bush is hiding stock dividend recipients as small business owners, mentions that Bush got a check as a timber company owner.
Bush asks “I own a Timber company? That’s news to me!
[ to audience] “Anyone need some wood?”
914 – Patriot Act explained by Bush, points out need for FBI and CIA to cooperate, and notes he would not support an act which reduces rights.
916 – Kerry opens a pack o’ lies for Patriot Act, claims it needs “correcting”. Admits we need cooperation between Intelligence agencies, but won’t explain his “corrections”. Maybe he’ll put it under French direction?
918 – Stem cell Q to Kerry. Kerry defends embryonic stem cell research by dropping the names of his celebrity pals, like Michael J. Fox and Christopher Reeve. Ducks the question, basically. Claims he respects life, but apparently doesn’t answer hard questions.
920 – Bush says bluntly, that embryonic stemcell research destroys a life, period. Notes the need for ethics, not just science.
922 – Kerry says what Bush has allowed are “inadequate”. Killing kids for better science, hmmm?
923 – Q to Bush, who would he choose for Supreme Court vacancy? Bush says he hasn’t picked anyone yet. Bush tells what qualities he looks for, respect for law, no litmus test except strict constitutionalist, not a legislator.
925 – Kerry says he doesn’t want conservative or liberal judge, but a justice who writes a “good judicial decision”. Senator Vague, ahhh he wants “women’s rights” protected, including woman’s “right” to abortion. There’s your litmus.
927 – Q to Kerry. Abortion funding. Kerry says he respects the belief, says “I’m a Catholic” (even if he ignores the Church position on Abortion), says he holds an article of faith. Basically, will NOT promise Abortion won’t be funded by taxes.
929 – Bush “I’m trying to decipher that”. Explains he wants to reduce abortions, supports parental notification, notes Kerry wants partial birth abortions, and opposes parental notification. Bush suggests adoption as alternative to abortion.
930 – Kerry says “it’s not that simple”, tries to defend his pro-abortion stance.
931 – Bush says yes-or-no question on partial birth ban came up, and Kerry voted no.
932 – Last Q to Bush – Asks Bush to name 3 decisions where he was wrong, and what he did about them. Bush says he takes responsibility for decisions. Says on big questions, he’ll stand by the decision because he believes it’s right. Says he is still sure about Iraq, for example. Also sure about the tax cuts.
934 – Kerry falls back on the lie, claiming Bush made a “huge mistake”, and “rushed to war”. The man who voted against armor wants to blame that on Bush.
936 – Bush points out that Kerry voted against the supplies and protection the troops needed. Good!
936 – Kerry says Saddam would “not necessarily” be in power if Kerry was in charge. But he won’t say how.
Ppppppppft.
Concluding Statements:
937 – Kerry concluding statement. Says he and Bush both have very strong convictions. I sense auto-yak… yep, there he goes.
“Middle Class Crisis”, that sounds like “progressive” for “Workers of the World, Unite!” Kerry is channeling Marx, I think.
940 – Bush talks about Leadership. Home ownership, strong economy, and how to keep things going. Smaller Federal government, sensible heathcare, energy plan, and litigation caps. Bush brings up we are still chasing terrorists, and explains we need to keep terrorists from gaining WMD.
“Tomorrow, Afghanistan will be voting for a President”
Nicely done.
Bush wins, no question, no doubt at all.
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