The OAO Vice Presidential Debate Thread

[NoCalMike 0]

how about the fact that pundits have the nerve to claim that, "NOW the Bush administration is back on track" considering VP debates rarely, if ever effect the presidential election.

[Dr. Tom 0]

If Bush follows Cheney's lead and goes on the attack more in this second debate, then it will be a big help to him. Perhaps that's what the "pundits" mean.

[Guest whitemilesdavis]

The Bush admin is back on track as far as "stopping the bleeding". While I don't think Cheney won the debate by a large margin, I think he has proven to be the stabilizing factor that Bush was not.

[snuffbox 0]

OT: Somebody has hacked Electoral-vote.com. Well, unless you believe Kerry has 98% of the vote in every state...

-=Mike

It seems to have been corrected now...

 

I enjoyed the Badnarik mention, I think it goes without saying that a Libertarian could cause great harm to Bush...since Bush's economic 'conservativism' has led to quite the spending.

[Guest MikeSC]

If Bush follows Cheney's lead and goes on the attack more in this second debate, then it will be a big help to him. Perhaps that's what the "pundits" mean.

Hell, I still don't see how Kerry's less-than-stellar performance on Thurs. could have "completely turned around" the election.

 

Bush had a bad night --- and Kerry STILL lost on substance.

 

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot. He cannot criticize the Duelfur (sp?) report because hesaid he'd vote for the war REGARDLESS (and good luck explaining why this war was good, but the first Gulf War was bad).

 

And since Kerry has become EXTREMELY unpleasant, the kid gloves will come off.

-=Mike

[AndrewTS 0]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

[snuffbox 0]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

And Bush will answer all questions with comments about flipflops...

[AndrewTS 0]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

And Bush will answer all questions with comments about flipflops...

Yup.

 

Should I wait to leave feedback about the debate now or afterwards?

[snuffbox 0]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

And Bush will answer all questions with comments about flipflops...

Yup.

 

Should I wait to leave feedback about the debate now or afterwards?

Might as well do it before...then you can free your Friday evening up for recreational drinking.

[2GOLD 0]

I have my fingers crossed that Kerry's plan to fix the economy involves a shovel, some dynamite, ten super powered foreign cars and detailed blueprints of a Swiss Bank vault.

 

I'm thinking it does, which is why it's still secret. He doesn't want to give the Swiss the heads up.

[Guest MikeSC]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

And Bush will simply mention that he was given an economy where the dot-com bubble burst, 9/11 happened, a recession was already underway, and the biggest corporate corruption scandal, caused in part due to some LAX enforcement of laws on the part of a certain administration that came before him.

 

And Bush could also mention that his policies minimized the damage and shortened the recession so that our numbers are even better than the "economic powerhouse" Clinton ran on in 1996.

-=Mike

[snuffbox 0]

Kerry has a record that he will have to defend and cannot.

As does Bush, but his record and errors are more high-profile.

 

When Bush will begin talking about the positive recent economic numbers, Kerry will fire back with the emotional anecdotes, and state that we're "still worse off than we were prior to 2000."

 

Then he'll say he "has a plan for the American people."

And Bush will simply mention that he was given an economy where the dot-com bubble burst, 9/11 happened, a recession was already underway, and the biggest corporate corruption scandal, caused in part due to some LAX enforcement of laws on the part of a certain administration that came before him.

 

And Bush could also mention that his policies minimized the damage and shortened the recession so that our numbers are even better than the "economic powerhouse" Clinton ran on in 1996.

-=Mike

You actually expect Bush to make a statement like that?

 

Upon having his economic failures questioned his response will be more like: "Uhm...er...(weird scrunchy face)...my opponent is a flipflopper...(smirk)"

[Guest MikeSC]

I doubt you'll hear the term "flip-flopper" more than twice.

-=Mike

...Kerry has a record. Cheney brought it up and Bush will smack it out of the park...

[snuffbox 0]

I doubt you'll hear the term "flip-flopper" more than twice.

-=Mike

...Kerry has a record. Cheney brought it up and Bush will smack it out of the park...

I will be surprised to not hear 'flipflop' at least a half dozen time...probably at least ten...

 

Unless Bush was told what killed him in the first debate, and what seems to have hurt Cheney's performance in the minds of the American public, he will probably continue to dodge questions and revert to 'flipflop, flipflop, flipflop'...

[Guest MikeSC]

I doubt you'll hear the term "flip-flopper" more than twice.

      -=Mike

...Kerry has a record. Cheney brought it up and Bush will smack it out of the park...

I will be surprised to not hear 'flipflop' at least a half dozen time...probably at least ten...

 

Unless Bush was told what killed him in the first debate, and what seems to have hurt Cheney's performance in the minds of the American public, he will probably continue to dodge questions and revert to 'flipflop, flipflop, flipflop'...

Cheney owned his debate. Bush would be wise to UNLOAD on Kerry. Shred his record from start to finish.

 

The GOP knows why Bush didn't do well. Bush will likely do nothing before the debate --- avoiding possibly being tired --- and the problems will be resolved quickly.

 

The problem is: Bush had CONSIDERABLE room for improvement in a performance he didn't exactly lose badly in. Kerry did as well as he could --- and BARELY "won".

-=Mike

[snuffbox 0]

I doubt you'll hear the term "flip-flopper" more than twice.

       -=Mike

...Kerry has a record. Cheney brought it up and Bush will smack it out of the park...

I will be surprised to not hear 'flipflop' at least a half dozen time...probably at least ten...

 

Unless Bush was told what killed him in the first debate, and what seems to have hurt Cheney's performance in the minds of the American public, he will probably continue to dodge questions and revert to 'flipflop, flipflop, flipflop'...

Cheney owned his debate. Bush would be wise to UNLOAD on Kerry. Shred his record from start to finish.

 

The GOP knows why Bush didn't do well. Bush will likely do nothing before the debate --- avoiding possibly being tired --- and the problems will be resolved quickly.

 

The problem is: Bush had CONSIDERABLE room for improvement in a performance he didn't exactly lose badly in. Kerry did as well as he could --- and BARELY "won".

-=Mike

Thats all very neat Mike...unfortunately the American people seem to have a big disagreement with you here... and the public will decide the winner in November, not neat spin.

[snuffbox 0]

But I do agree that it would be very wise for Bush to take the day off from campaigning tomorrow.

[Guest MikeSC]

But I do agree that it would be very wise for Bush to take the day off from campaigning tomorrow.

I imagine he probably will. While I think the "Exhaustion" story is pure, unadultered bullshit (Bush just wasn't on, period), this is what they'll go with.

 

However, considering how liberal Washington U. is, I'm a little worried about Bush.

-=Mike

[snuffbox 0]

Are the audience members/questions screened beforehand?

[Guest MikeSC]

Are the audience members/questions screened beforehand?

I am under the impression that the moderator has considerable leeway in what questions are used.

 

And since the audience members ask the question, there is no guarantee that the question submitted is the one they'd ask.

-=Mike

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

But I do agree that it would be very wise for Bush to take the day off from campaigning tomorrow.

I imagine he probably will. While I think the "Exhaustion" story is pure, unadultered bullshit (Bush just wasn't on, period), this is what they'll go with.

 

However, considering how liberal Washington U. is, I'm a little worried about Bush.

-=Mike

I'd imagine Bush would make some sort of campaigning (not a speech) in suburban St. Louis (which is quite Republican).

 

I don't see Bush doing much in Illinois (in-between Wausau, WI and St. Louis, MO)

 

And I've heard that the audience won't be all Missourians, but a variety of soft-voters or undecideds from swing states

 

And since the audience members ask the question, there is no guarantee that the question submitted is the one they'd ask.

 

the agreement says that the moderator will cut off the questioner if they try that

[snuffbox 0]

Are the audience members/questions screened beforehand?

I am under the impression that the moderator has considerable leeway in what questions are used.

 

And since the audience members ask the question, there is no guarantee that the question submitted is the one they'd ask.

-=Mike

How are people allowed in the hall? Were there tickets or something?

 

Im sure Bush's lawyers would have addressed these concerns somehow before aggreeing to this debate...

[snuffbox 0]

Bob Schaffer (sp?) is the moderator tommorrow night correct?

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

nope.. he's the moderator for the third debate. Charles Gibson is the moderator tomorrow, I think

 

I think the moderator for a town hall debate doesn't do much anyways, since he won't ask questions

[Guest MikeSC]

How are people allowed in the hall? Were there tickets or something?

 

Im sure Bush's lawyers would have addressed these concerns somehow before aggreeing to this debate...

I've wondered that myself, actually. The audience is supposed to have people who are, self-professed, "Soft for Kerry" or "Soft for Bush" (since I doubt EITHER side will believe "undecided") --- but I have NO clue how they decide if the people are telling the truth or the like.

nope.. he's the moderator for the third debate. Charles Gibson is the moderator tomorrow, I think

Really? I thought it was Schieffer tomorrow and Gibson for the third, but you might well be 100% correct.

-=Mike

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

yeah.. I checked and Gibson is tomorrow.. Schieffer is the third debate.

[snuffbox 0]

Thanks for the info Rob...

 

I think we should probably all start moving towards the new thread for the Friday debate now.