Foley/JBL Debate Report

[Guest JMA]

I watched the debates on ABC News NOW through Comcast.net's stream between the two at University of Miami. Stephanie started things off with some WWE PR speech about Smackdown the Vote and how important the youth is. Same stuff she and Linda have said before.

 

Foley is a Democrat, supporting Kerry.

 

Bradshaw is a Republican, supporting Bush.

 

The crowd seemed somewhat left leaning, but not so much that it ever seemed lopsided. It's hard to say and I'm basing this on the pops to the responses.

 

FIRST SEGMENT:

 

The format was question: Foley answered, Bradshaw countered, Democrat student countered response, Republican student countered Democratic response.

 

The moderator was cheesy.

 

The two students on the forum were ill-informed and did not speak well in front of the audience. The girl was just horrible and lost her composure many times. The guy was more confident but was hard to follow at times. Sorry that I don't have their names.

 

 

Now on to Foley and Bradshaw.

 

I find it hard to believe that anyone would expect that Bradshaw would be as articulate as Foley, so I won't go into much depth comparing the speaking styles. It's not really fair, Foley is more articulate on RAW and Smackdown than Bradshaw, and it carried over into the debate.

 

Foley was quite well informed. He had statistics, historical and current references, and was able to say more than just Democratic talking points in his responses to the questions. His speaking style was well paced, deliberate, and strong. He seemed in good control of the situation, and confident in his delivery.

 

Bradshaw was not as informed as Foley. I can't truly blame him on this. He is on the road more than Foley and may not have been able to research things as in depth as Mick. Bradshaw was very energetic in his delivery, however. His arguments seemed somewhat hollow. His statements were not very clear or developed. There were a lot of cheap shots and low blows used as filler, and at times he seemed somewhat arrogant. Even for cheap crowd pops. At times he seemed to be just regurgitating talking points from FOX News. However, he did truly seem to care about the questions based on education and the problems with proper funding for it.

 

Overall Mick seemed to win if you rate speaking ability and clarity of message. However, I don't think that Bradshaw is truly the proper type of opponent for someone with his skill. As far as message goes, its hard for me to grade it.

 

END OF FIRST SEGMENT.

 

Public Service announcement from John Cena. Word.

 

SECOND SEGMENT

 

The second segment saw two current Florida congressmen join the forum, State Sen. Dave Aronberg (D) Florida, and State Rep. Marcelo Llorente ® Florida. For the most part they sound like all other partisan politicians we've heard so far. Very little original content, rehashes of things Bradshaw and Mick already said, and regurgitations of Democrat and Republican talking points.

 

Mick and Bradshaw then got to ask one question for each of the congressmen.

 

This was supposed to be a brief question, but JBL talked and talked and had almost no sort of question at the end of his comment, it was something about military strategy. Aronberg did his best to reply but it was sort of hard since there was no clear question. Bradshaw interrupted and said he wasn't answering the question, Foley stepped in and said JBL got to ask a 5 minute question and he needed to have patience and get a 5 mins response. Overall, it was a poor question that lead to a poor response.

 

Foley asked Llorente a question that was somewhat big too, but he used the first part to somewhat educate the audience on the background about his question. He then went on to ask where Bush is coming up with the figures that Bush says he is going to use to pay for everything considering that we are in big deficits. The response from Llorente was decent, but nothing spectacular. Overall a better response than Aronberg, but he had a better question to deal with.

 

END OF SECOND SEGMENT

 

Shelton got the next PSA. Bling, bling, yo.

 

THIRD SEGMENT

 

Third segment was crowd interactive time! Crowd got to pose a question, and then state who they wanted to answer it.

 

Bradshaw was a real prick here and cut off the girl asking the first question, since she was attacking Bush, asking if she had a time limit. The crowd booed this and his reply was "I'm a bad guy." The response by Llorente was good and articulate. Not bad for being put on the spot. Foley responded to Llorente, jabbing that his answer was dull and hurting the ratings. The crowd was somewhat mixed to this. He then said we have what he would call a "Suck It" precedence. His arguments compared Bush to DX and that the American people will demand more of the President, as WWE viewers demanded more of the wrestlers and characters.

 

The second crowd question was a hard hitting on to the republican student representative, and seemed that the kid asking was doing so to tick this guy off on a personal level. A SHOOT IN A POLITICAL DEBATE, OH THE DRAMA! His response was ferocious (sp?), if rambling. The democratic response cam from Aronberg, and was somewhat arrogant.

 

Third question was to Mick and the student wanted to know how a first time voter can get info that is not just sound bites. Mick said she needs to get news from multiple sources (TV and print) and then take what she can from everything and come to her own conclusions. Mick did a bad impression of Vinnie Mac firing Bush. Bradshaw replied saying she had to decide for herself saying that anyone who states they are a die hard republican or democrat are saying they can't think for themselves. According to his earlier statements, JBL just stated he can't think for himself. He then stated the first presidential debate Thursday is going to be dumb and that it is to processed and controlled. Trying to tune viewers away from the debates and to Smackdown? Hmmm?

 

Question 4 was on defense, and why things are safer for use with Bush? JBL had a wise crack again on the student who asked a serious question and got a bigger boo this time. Not very classy JBL. He had no idea what he was talking about here, talking about killing bad guys and things. Foley responded sounding like Dick Cheney. The crowd is now officially on Mick's side.

 

Question 5 was for Foley, wanting to know about how he felt about Democrats feeling threatened with Nader getting on ballots and using lawsuits and whatnot. Foley said Nader makes sense but now is not the time to vote for him, there are more important things on the line, and if he gets in office he will have no pull in Washington to get anything done. Foley asked if that was a good answer, she said no, and so he tried to clarify. Saying intimidation was the reason why. JBL replied by saying Ralph Nader is an idiot, again heeling the crowd. Boos are really heavy now and Foley says this is more heat than he gets in the ring.

 

Things ramble from here and I lost interest.

 

END OF SEGMENT

 

Final question was a roundtable posed to everyone. I didn't really pay attention since the question was about what the most straight forward thing they wanted to hear in the debate on Thursday.

 

Overall, JBL looked like a dolt, and by the end came off as a real pr**k.

 

Foley looked smart.

 

So, everything that people thought was going to happen happened. No real surprises.

Did anyone actually watch this? I don't get the channel it's carried on, so I couldn't.

[Ted the Poster 0]

Couldn't WWE have at least picked an informed republican representative for this? The company is obviously pretty conservative, so it wouldn't have been hard. I personally can't wait to see Bradshaw attempt to justify this in his next article.

[edotherocket 0]

Its hard to tell if JBL is 'in character'. I'd like to see a video of the debate though. Sounds interesting enough.

[cawthon777 0]

I know Vince is trying to get JBL more over than the wheel but I'd much prefer to see Shawn Michaels debating Foley than Bradshaw.

[Guest Loss]

This was a chance to show the mainstream that wrestlers were capable of rational thought and an informed debate, but JBL ruined it to get over as a heel. Nice ...

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Isn't Nowinski conservative? Surely he would have been a better opponent for Foley than JBL.

[Guest BDC]

Apparently not if you remember the Nowinski/Steiner crap.

[Dangerous A 0]

I don't think I need 2 braindead and overly concussed wrestlers telling me who I should or shouldn't vote for. If you are being informed on world issues by fucking wrestlers, you should look to schedule a lobotomy asap.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Bradshaw does or says something stupid and then falls back on saying it's his character.

 

...

 

This just in, Bradshaw has just robbed a bank and killed 3 police officers in the process. Whether or not this is a criminal offense is being debated right now, because it may not really mean anything since he's a "bad guy" and can get away anything. Apparently, because Robert De Niro did this in HEAT, it's ok.

[redbaron29 0]

Couldn't WWE have at least picked an informed republican representative for this? The company is obviously pretty conservative, so it wouldn't have been hard. I personally can't wait to see Bradshaw attempt to justify this in his next article.

Flair is a big time republican. Could you imagine a debate between them too.

 

Flair doin his crazy old man especially Foley.

 

"BUSH IS THE MAN! WOOOO"

 

"Now folks....you can listen to this glorified stuntman, who will never be great" or you can listen to the greatest Champ WOOOO ever!

 

"I've had more women then Kerry has supporters!"

 

Talk about hollow arguments

[iliketurtles 0]

If he had his cowboy hat and WWE belt with him, you'd know he did it on purpose.

 

He never seemed to be that type of guy who debated politics. He knows how to play the stock market, but not politics. I'm not surprised with Foley..he's one of the smartest guys on the roster. It's just too bad that this could of been something to show to people that WWE isn't full of loud-mouth losers, but Bradshaw seems to keep it going.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Um, he debates and discusses politics all the time in his columns on WWE.com.

 

He is using his gimmick as an "out", so he doesn't have to take responsibility for anything he does or says.

[redbaron29 0]

He is using his gimmick as an "out", so he doesn't have to take responsibility for anything he does or says.

This for the most part is done by most wrestlers.

 

Actually for some of them....ala hogan....really think they are there gimmck.

 

The later is much more disturbing

[iliketurtles 0]

Um, he debates and discusses politics all the time in his columns on WWE.com.

I never read his columns or watch him on the Media when he's on. I saw him once on Fox News and he was talking about stocks. And he wrote a book about stocks, not politics. I don't think polictics is his main strength.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

http://www.wwe.com/news/commentary/bradshaw/1277159

 

Seriously, at least know something about what you're talking about.

[Eclipse 0]

From this report, it looks like JBL didn't deserve to be in the spot he was chosen for. He came in unprepared, and basically made the Republican party there look dumb. Imagine if this is a sign of things to come!

[Guest wrestlingbs]

Honestly Foley made some mistakes as well, but Bradshaw is probably the worst guy to defend Bush in a debate. Either that or Vince told him to go out there and try to get heel heat, I don't know which one is more idiotic.

[1234-5678 0]

The Warrior should've debated Foley. He's ridiculously right wing.

[Jericholic82 0]

I watched this last night. Overall it was probably better than the actual debate will be. Foley came off as a smart guy who made realisitc arguements and did not come off as a bush baher persay but as a auy who had serious doubts and was worried about the future for this generation. The young woman college student who was backing kerry was terrible at debating she stuttred through most of her responses and seemed to be nervous about being on tv. The dem rep from florida had some good arguements as well. Bradshaw started ok, but basically came off as a guy with the old "kill all foreigners" attitude. especially by saying if you criticize the US govt you are un american. Foley on the other hand disccused his fear that the right to have dissention was being taken away and all those who speak out aganist the president are being silenced

 

the host was an idiot who didnt know what was going on.

 

oh and stephanie was utterly annoying especially her urging us to vote at the end.

 

 

the best part was Foley saying that Bradshaw was getting more boos than he did in the arena. JBL looked a bit ticked off to say the least.

 

 

overall it was very entertaining

 

 

I just wonder why WWE is so interested in the youth voting, is it to make the company portrayed in a positive light by the media?

[slimm44 0]

Its hard to tell if JBL is 'in character'. I'd like to see a video of the debate though. Sounds interesting enough.

They have the video on wwe.com I just got done watching it and I found it to be pretty good. Bradshaw was comical. The student debaters were definitely nervous, and I would be too no doubt about it. Pretty good stuff. Tonight's debate won't be as good but I'll have to wait and see.

[SamoaRowe 0]

I'm watching the debate right now, and I don't think JBL is in character at all.

 

Foley is freaking awesome though.

[Guest GreatOne]

This makes me think of the line in Foley Is Goodabout George W. Bush trying to get a word in edgewise as Keyes and McCain were rambling on Larry King, and then fast forward to tonight, will Bush be able to do the same as Kerry rambles on with himself?

 

Chalk me up as rather (though not to be confused with DAN Rather) wating to have Flair out there.

 

Then again Foley, from the looks of things, seemed to be more in the anti-Bush then pro-Kerry camp. Which just asks the question what the fuck is the point of Kerry being on the ballot? (although that should probably be more a CE question)

[iliketurtles 0]

http://www.wwe.com/news/commentary/bradshaw/1277159

 

Seriously, at least know something about what you're talking about.

Um, okay? All I read was that he hates Democrats, bashes them, and Bush, Arnold, and Republicans are great. I can do that if I wanted too. The only discussion he made without trying to bash someone in that article was his views on healthcare.

 

Again, politics aren't his strength...stocks are. Big difference.

 

And I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about, thank you.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

No, ya don't.

 

This is your original comment:

 

He never seemed to be that type of guy who debated politics.

 

......

 

Adding to that,

 

...you'd know he did it on purpose

 

You don't have to talk about what you said before it, even the idea of rationalizing what he did as part of "character" is ridiculous, and the sort of apologetic nonsense that has been spreading about here recently. "They aren't his strength" is like calling a fat kid "husky".

 

And you know what, in that locker room, Bradshaw *is* one of the more "reputable" ones on politics. Val Venis would have been better had GWB been truly a conservative president, but Bradshaw was probably the locker rooms best possible representative (and the locker room has a republican majority).

[iliketurtles 0]

He never seemed to be the type of person who respectively debated politics on a scale like he did last night. I mean, any of us can debate politics, if we are right or wrong. There's a difference if you are doing it with your friends, or are doing it on ABC News Now and he's probably not that type of person while Foley sounds like he is.

 

I'd rather see Bradshaw debate in methods of how to make money then politics.

 

And if he didn't do as part of his character, then I'd say he's a very arrogant person.

[CBright7831 0]

I 'm watching the debate on WWE.com right now, and Bradshaw came off as a guy who wasn't taking this seriously enough. I know he's a heel on TV, but he should have left that persona for WWE TV. He came off as an asshole to many people for some of the shit he said at the end.

[DMann2003 0]

I'm watching MSNBC coverage of the Presidential debates and they just said that coming up they'd talk to 2 giants of the wrestling world, MICK FOLEY and...

 

 

Christopher Nowinski?!?

 

Seriously I thought WWE let him go cause of his injury.

[DMann2003 0]

They just brought up the Smackdown Your Vote campaign mostly, and the previous night debate between Foley and Bradshaw, Nowinski felt tonight's debate didn't address any concerns for the under 30 crowd, which is debateable (WAR IN IRAQ)

[Anakin Flair 0]

The Warrior should've debated Foley. He's ridiculously right wing.

Actually, that would have been a kick-ass debate. I saw Warrior speak at UMSL last year (got his autograph, too!) and he is a very articulate speaker who really seems to know his stuff (shocking, I know). And given the fact that he doesn't wrestle anymore he, like Foley, would have had adequate time to prepare.

[Guest GreatOne]

We would have needed to make up for that Mankind/Warrior showdown in 96 that never was anyway