My talking point: Kerry looks good, but Bush will cream him in the debates

[Walt Starr]

Yep, that's what I will be telling every fence sitter I know.

Bush is gonna CREAM Kerry in the debates.

Start setting the expectations LOW RIGHT NOW!!

Spread the meme, we like Kerry, but we're worried that Bush is going to take the fight to him in the debates.

[Caution]

1. ROFLMAO

that's hilarious. bush crushing kerry in the debates....bwahahahhahaha

[Walt Starr]

4. SHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bush is going to tear Kerry a new one in the debates. Show concern. Feign despair. Whaatever it takes, spread the meme.

Bush is going to CREAM Kerry in the debates.

:evilgrin:

Take a play from Roves playbook. Set the expectations low, then when you aren't as bad as the expectations, you win.

With this meme being spread hard and fast from now until the debates, Kerry will make bush look like a fool and win in a landslide after the debates.

:evilgrin:

[terrya]

2. I agree. Same thing with Kerry's speech Thursday. Lower the bar as far

as possible. And then when Kerry does great Thursday and the debates...POW! :-)

[DemBones DemBones]

3. Certainly the media will try to tell us that Bush*

beats Kerry in the debates. Remember 2000! Hell, remember this morning, when they're re-making what was said last night.

[KurtNYC]

5. If Kerry is good enough for the Reagans

who is left for Bush?

That's my strategy with fence sitters.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

6. No fence sitter I know would believe it

they all know bush is a horrible public speaker and probably even worse as a debator.

[Walt Starr]

7. Remind them of this

"Oh yeah? Didn't Bush clean Gore's clock in the 2000 debates?"

[DoomFook]

29. Look For Bush to Limit the Debates

He'll try to limit the number of debates...mark these words.

[Walt Starr]

30. Kerry has already agreed to three debates

If the talking point that the Kerry camp is worried about debate performance by Kerry gets out, Bush will look like a total weeny if he tries to limit the debates.

:evilgrin:

This just keeps getting better and better! I can see it now:

AP - Boston - Unnamed sources highly placed inside the Kerry campaign have admitted to being worried about the Senator's upcoming debates with the president.

"We're just afraid that even with well thought out answers to the questions posed, John Kerry will fail to connect with the voters on that personal level that George Bush is so famous for."

<snip>

If Bush tried to limit debates after that, he would be seen as a total wimpy chickenshit. The debates become Lose-Lose for him in that scenario.

[RobertSeattle]

8. Don't forget Edwards!!!

I heard he is a LOUSY debater and HORRIBLE in front of CROWDS - The ever friendly and cheerful Cheney will probably KICK HIS ASS in a debate!

:Evilgrin:

[MallRat]

9. Oh, I like the way you think.

Excellent idea.

[FlaGranny]

10. LOL! As most people

are smarter than the president, though, I don't think they'll fall for it.

[Walt Starr]

11. Hey, that's what everybody thought in 2000, but Bush

cleaned Gore's clock in THOSE debates!

/2000_mediawhore_talkingpoint

:evilgrin:

[shimmergal]

51. That's because the pundits

nitpicked all Gore's mannerisms and phrases, while praising Bush's stupidities.

Will it work again? I don't know. But Bush's ability to make sense when he talks has plummeted in the last four years.

[ClassWarrior]

52. It's worth a try...

[AlCzervik]

12. You know that is so clever

it sounds exactly like something Pigboy junkie Limbaugh or Asschasm hannity would say. I'm looking forward to saying that to people.

[NewJeffCT]

13. good idea!

In 2000, the RW & the media set the debate expectations so low for Bush, that when he didn't come across as Charles Manson or Jack Nicholson in "The Shining", it was a victory for him.

So, how about this? Bush's down home charm will beat the pants off of that stiff John Kerry?

And, for the VP debates - Dick Cheney has so much experience that he will trounce somebody as new to Washington as John Edwards?

[Walt Starr]

14. DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HOPE somebody in the DNC is watching DU today and has noticed this thread.

:evilgrin:

[Bandit]

15. Remember Bush* absolutely crushed Gore in the debates

I also have an aluminum mine for sale cheap. The Media did say Bush* won the debates between him and Gore. :shrug: but they have a Liberal bias so shouldn't be believed.

[Jane Austin]

64. I'm sorry, but Bush DID clobber Ann Richards in 1994

By ridiculing her and changing the subject with every question.

[VolcanoJen]

16. SHADDUP!!

great idea.... sssshhhhh!!!!

[JI7]

17. good idea

i agree.

[ClassWarrior]

18. Excellent, Walt!

You're a Meme Schemer at heart!

:yourock:

[rniel]

19. don't misunderestimatemisme !

[dave29]

20. Or, we could just say

we don't have to lower expectations for our candidate - he will crush Bush at the debates.

People don't mind a bit of confidence, either.

[CaTeacher]

22. Yes--that is better. I am

afraid that I cannot say the other with a straight face. No one in their right minds could believe that Bush could cream a 5 year child in a debate much less Kerry.

Bush and Cheney will both be TOAST in the debates. I have to call it as I see it.

[NewJeffCT]

36. sorry, disagree

According to the pundits, Bush defeated the great debater Al Gore in 2000 - and this was after Gore had crushed Jack Kemp in '96 and others previously.

[dave29]

57. actually the pundits

gave Gore a couple of the debates - but the spin machine went into overdrive and the story changed by morning.

Kerry does not have to lower expectations. And he should point out that it's sad that Bush does.

[Jane Austin]

65. I say again . . . Bush clobbered Ann Richards in 1994.

He turned every question into something like he does on the National Guard issue.

"I don't take kindly to people who say serving in the guard is not real service."

See, he twists the answer to fit a question that wasn't asked, and the spineless media hacks don't follow up.

He is a dangerous debater.

[redqueen]

21. I'm really worried

Most folks resonate with Bush on a personal level. They will be swayed more by how he speaks than what he says.

Kerry's rigid style and inability to really 'connect' with the American public makes me think you're right about this.

Kerry won't do well in the debates.

[ClassWarrior]

23. They believed he creamed Gore.

We're not operating under normal rules of common sense, folks.
We have to think smart. Walt is right. Buck up... keep a straight face... and do it for your country. (Gotcha on edit, RQ.)

(post 999, btw... congratulate me...)

[redqueen]

24. Congrats!

And please re-read my post...

[Walt Starr]

27. Excellent "meat" for the talking point!

Bush resonates with voters on a personal level and we're afraid John Kerry's intellectual level will leave the voters "flat" on his responses. Although he may have a lot of very well thought out responses to the questions and issues posed, he just won't "connect" on that personal level which will allow Bush to win the debates.

Yes, I'm VERY concerned about how John Kerry will perform in the debate. VERY concerned indeed!

/talkingpoint

:evilgrin:

[ClassWarrior]

28. Deeply worried...

Deeply...

[mike1963]

43. DOOMED!

:evilgrin:

[Worst Username Ever]

60. Agreed

Kerry has the unfortunate tendancy to not...get...to..the..point.

Ok ok ;-)

[seabeyond]

25. personally i wouldnt be surprised

with media backing and spinning bush and his sarcasm, i wouldnt be surprised if bush won. saying i dont htink it will be much on the policies, and bush will just do talking points and wont be called on it, and i really dont see kerry good at talking points, he is more elequent for me in speeches.

i know he was debater, just a feel and what i have seen

gore clearly was the better debater, adn they torn him apart and left bush alone

[ClassWarrior]

26. Here it is. Number 1,000 for an excellent meme.

Thanx DU. You make life sweet.

[calimary]

58. Congratulations!

It's helpful, here, isn't it?

[Generic Other]

31. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OUCH OUCH STOP! HAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH PLEASE STOP. I CAN"T STAND IT. HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHOHOHOHOHOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
OH PHEW. AH....HIC...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

Bush: "I'm not letting Kerry make a fool out of me."

Kerry: "No, not when you can do it all on your own, George."

[Feanorcurufinwe]

32. I don't think I could say that with a straight face

[Walt Starr]

33. We must!

We have to set the expectations low.

John Kerry is behind Bush. Bush is the favortie to win. Bush will connect with the voters and win the debates.

Don't let them set their expectations low. Keep in mind, this is an incumbent and therefore, the election is George Bush's, not John Kerry's, to LOSE!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

54. Oh I agree, I just don't think I'm the one to do it

and on a related note, I think that 2000 proved that you can 'win' the debate, but still 'lose' the public perception of it...

[NewJeffCT]

35. Molly Ivins

Molly Ivins knows Shrub better than probably anybody on DU and she thinks Bush is a very crafty politician and I tend to agree with her.

While I think * is incurious, mean-spirited and lazy, I also think he is not stupid. As smart as John Kerry, Jimmy Carter or the Clintons? No way, not by a long shot. But, I think Shrub can be smart when he wants to be.

[ewagner]

44. I have to agree

Bush* is a consummate manipulator of people. He'll use Kerry's obvious superiority to MANIPULATE the viewers to see him as an underdog; attacked by those "fancy-pants liberals". He's treacherous. Don't get over-confident.

[napi21]

34. I agree, and I think the Dems are using this tactic now

Listen to what you've been hearing in the last few days from talking Dems....Oh, we don't expect much of a bounce from the debates, maybe 2 or 3 percent. The Pubs on the other hand are saying, oh, the Dems should get a 15 percent bounce from a "good" convention.

Both are playing this game from opposit ends. After all, it worked with the shrub in the 2000 debates!

[ClassWarrior]

37. kick

:kick:

[unfrigginreal]

38. LOL! I love it!

I think I'll start one of my own - Clinton's speech was ok, but Bush will make him look foolish when he accepts the nomination.

[Raskolnik]

39. Did you read the Atlantic Monthly article about...

their different debating skills? It was interesting as could be.

The most interesting thing it pointed out was the fact that W didn't always appear to be the idiot he is now. When he debated Ann Richardson for governor, he was at ease, he went from one thought to another with a minimum of difficulty, and was generally a different person than he is today.

I take that as proof positive that he is completely out of his depth now.

[supernova]

40. LOL! You evil genius you, Walt

:D

Bush is such a proud, corageous man, I don't know how Kerry is going to stand up to him. ;-)

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

41. Based on the subject line...

I thought you'd smoking crack. That's an evil plan and I love it!

[Straight Shooter]

42. Disagree. People tend to believe what they've been told to believe.

Especially when they hear it over and over. And the important thing is to be an echo chamber as strongly in support of Kerry as the Repubs are for bush.

Just my 2 cents here.

[ClassWarrior]

45. Please don't throw us in that briar patch...

...Massah Bush*!

[ClassWarrior]

46. Wringing my virtual hands.

[Walt Starr]

48. Left wingers being interviewed are already setting low expectations

for Kerry's acceptance speech. Get the meme out, after Clinton, Kerry is not going to give a great speech.

[ClassWarrior]

50. Dang, and I was expecting an exciting speech Thursday night.

Guess I'll have to watch Friends reruns instead.

[ClassWarrior]

47. Woe is me...

[ACK]

49. Hard to get lower than the bar set for Bush

As long as the man can stand up and remember his own name he was won.

The short bus president has the advantage in debates simply on the premise that as long as he does doesn't fall down and forget his own name everyone will stand up and applaud.

[elperromagico]

53. Yes, and raise the expectations for Bush.

Bush has always been the beneficiary of low expectations. It's time to change that. The man has been President for nearly four years, and the American people should expect the best from him.

I expect the best from my President. That's why I'm not voting for Bush. He doesn't give the best.

[kentuck]

55. Everybody thought Gore was going to cream him but....

look how he handled Gore. :) (yeah sure!)

[Jane Austin]

56. I've been saying this right along.

Because Bush will hit below the belt, scan the audience with his smirk, and land a few of them which Kerry will not be able to answer in the time alloted.

[ClassWarrior]

59. Yeah, that Bush* is gonna clobber poor ol' JFK...

[leesa]

61. I don't understand why you want to reinforce this

The media will declare him the winner no matter what is said.

[ClassWarrior]

62. We're already beginning to make media opinions irrelevant.

Why not try to counter it with word-of-mouth? Why not at least try?

[ClassWarrior]

63. Bush* is a rightwing whack job, but Kerry's such a Herman Munster.