Thursday, September 30, 2004

Thoughts After the Debate

I thought Kerry did well, though maybe not in a way that will translate into more votes. He looked presidential and he gave what were mostly short, easy-to-follow replies. I don't understand how people can look at Bush's "deer-in-the-headlights" blank stares and see a leader. But then I never understood how women can look at Mick Jagger and see a sex symbol.

Bush and his spinmeisters seem to be throwing up a number of arguments that almost argue that someone in Bush's position can never be criticized. Rudy Giuliani is on The Daily Show, saying "I don't know how you tell those young men and women [serving in the military] to continue to carry on this war if [you're saying] it's a mistake." Well, okay, but what happens if our leaders do err? Doesn't that argument work to quash any sort of criticism of any military effort?

Bush kept reminding people that Kerry said Saddam Hussein was a threat who should be removed. I kept waiting for Kerry to say, "Yes, but that didn't mean that I don't care how many Americans were killed, how much money was spent and how our forces were taken away from more pressing business to accomplish that removal."

Question: If the studio audience is not allowed to react to anything, why even have them there?

I thought Bush was better at the end of the debate than he was at the beginning. There were moments, especially in his last few statements, where he sounded statesmanlike and like a guy who wanted to be a "uniter, not a divider." I thought Kerry may have gone a long way to debunking claims that he doesn't have actual plans or that he can't give a straight answer.

And I think tomorrow, the polls will be all over the place.

I'm going to go get something to eat.

• Posted at 8:53 PM · LINK

The Debate

I'm watching live. Bush looks defensive. He's the one who wanted the strict rules on how long they could talk and how they could not address each other. But he's the one who keeps wanting the 30 second follow-ups so he can say more.

I think he loses points just because so much of the discussion is about what he may or may not have done wrong. And a few more points for using, over and over, certain talking points like the one about Kerry saying, "Wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." But I'm sure his followers will think he kicked Kerry's heinie.

• Posted at 6:57 PM · LINK

A Pre-Debate Political Rant

As I may have suggested here, another thing I don't like about debates like the Presidential one tonight is the use of the word, "win." It's easy to discuss who won the World Series or the Super Bowl or a game of Candy Land. There are explicit rules and official scorekeepers who operate according to those rules. After the Lakers play the Pacers, you don't have representatives of both teams out arguing that their side shellacked the opposition.

But tonight, even before the podiums are cold, partisans and reps will be out in full force, arguing that their guy "won." And I suspect that no matter what the polls say tomorrow morning, most of those folks will still be insisting that the numbers prove the overwhelming victory. (Though they'll argue this more forcefully after the final debate. They still have to lower expectations for their candidate's performance in the next two.)

With a couple of exceptions, one of which I noted here, I have not been too impressed with John Kerry's speeches lately. On the other hand, I've never been too impressed with any of Bush's public statements, especially in those very rare occasions lately when he's put himself in the position of answering a question from someone who wasn't out to throw him a softball.

I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the whole thing, straight through. I'm recording it on the TiVo and I may go out, take a walk and get some dinner. I may come back, watch the spin first, then watch the debate and see how it measures up. Or maybe I'll skip the whole thing and watch DVDs. I just got The Complete Honeymooners and that could have a lot more to do with the world today than anything Bush or Kerry is likely to say.

• Posted at 6:00 PM · LINK

Catching Up With Jon

Jon Stewart, who is probably getting a lot of interesting phone calls this week, will be doing The Daily Show live tonight following the Presidential Debate. And here's an interview with him.

• Posted at 8:33 AM · LINK

Your Second Volume's Out, Charlie Brown!

If you order it through this Amazon link, they'll tell you that the second volume of The Complete Peanuts is not out yet. But I got my copy the other day and I'm enjoying it just as much as the first version, which I reviewed here. Pretty much everything I said about Volume 1 applies to Volume 2, except that it doesn't have as much text material and the foreword is by Walter Cronkite. It's still fun to watch Mr. Schulz's style and characters develop, especially in this one which covers 1953-1954 — years in which Schulz invented a lot of phrases, concepts and kids he used for decades. I've heard a few folks grumble that the books in this series are too small. They're forgetting that Peanuts was always intended to be run small. I've heard a few others complain about the art direction. They're nitpicking. And I've heard a few moan about how much it will eventually cost to collect them all. They're right, but it'll be worth it. End of review.

• Posted at 12:16 AM · LINK

October 1, 2004 • Current • September 29, 2004