Shales, WP:Round 3: "Bush Grins, Spins but Doesn't Win"

[madfloridian]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31374-2004Oct14.html

SNIP..."An essentially dignified and thoughtful performance by John Kerry, contrasted with an oddly giggly turn by George W. Bush, combined to give the last debate of the presidential campaign to the challenger last night, but very narrowly.

Bush seems to have been taken apart and put back together again after each debate, reassembled according to estimates of how he'd done. Last night it looked as though his handlers had told him to smile, smile, smile, especially when Kerry was trying to make points, points, points. ...."

SNIP..."Bush's reaction to Kerry's charge, like several of his statements and facial expressions throughout the 90 minutes, was eccentric. "Sounds like one of those 'exaggerations,' " he said, emphasizing the word and grinning as if he'd just made the wittiest quip of the year. Then again, near the debate's end, Kerry referred to what he considered the two greatest commandments as "the two greatest amendments," kind of a natural gaffe for a longtime legislator....".

Great take on the debate.

[Gloria]

1. Bush reminded us of Howdy Doody.....that grin!

Usually inappropriate, popping out all the time.

[Cha]

3. It sounds like he was on something..that was suppose to

not make him "scowl" or "smirk"?

[Cha]

2. But they say Kerry wins only "narrowly" after they

proceed to take bush apart piece by piece?

And I don't think this was an "exaggeration"..

"ABC's Peter Jennings said just before the event, "If there's ever been a more important debate, it certainly doesn't come to mind," which may have been something of an exaggeration, but there was a palpable tension in the air since this last debate was more likely to linger in voters' minds. The cable news networks had the luxury of time to spend on pre-debate warm-ups, but some dimwitted producer at CNN stationed Wolf Blitzer and his co-anchors in front of a shouting, chanting crowd of students, roaring so loudly they all but drowned out whatever Blitzer and colleagues were saying."

[jaysunb]

4. Too funny !!

Kerry wore a long puss through most of the evening, but Bush looked as smiley as Clarabell the Clown

Damn !! that broke me up.....