Debates and Kerry

[yeahwho]

Thought I'd share this primer written for Kerry. And this story.

I went to Disneyland last year in California, while I was in Anahiem I stayed at the Hilton, across the street from the park. One afternoon I decided to take a dip in the pool, when I arrived at the pool it was swarmed by a few hundred teens. I figured much grab-assing and mayhem would ensue.

The weird thing about it is, none of these teens were running, screaming, splashing or anything. They all were engaged in civil conversations about the world. Well it turns out it was the National Debate Club, these were the best debaters in the USA. Composure was theirs. None of them were going to look the fool. I was impressed.

20 ways to win debates ? and voters http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/09/26/20_ways_to_win_debates__and_voters/

[Funkaloyd]

Atlantic's James Fallows reviewed tapes of Bush debating Ann Richards in 1994 Texas governor's race. "The Bush on this tape was almost unrecognizable," he wrote. "This Bush was eloquent. He spoke quickly and easily. He rattled off complicated sentences and brought them to the right grammatical conclusions. He did not pause before forcing out big words or invent mangled new ones."

Wtf happened?

[D_Raay]

Wtf happened?
Like Bill Maher said yesterday in his "new rules", Bush needs to START drinking again.

[mca47]

Like Bill Maher said yesterday in his "new rules", Bush needs to START drinking again.

haha, that was a great bit!
bill maher rules!!

[D_Raay]

The RNC was a hatefest and the media just ran all over Kerry.
I agree. The media seems to have more to gain from Bush winning than Kerry. Of course they have their bases covered, but it seems they are leaning Bush.

[yeahwho]

My gut feeling is that Kerry is being held back by his handlers to be an underdog. Ive seen better responses to the Bush/Rove attacks here in the Beastie Boy chatroom, no offense, you guy s are good, but not that good. (well, then again, Beasties fans are a very crafty crew :D )

The people who run these campaigns are not trying to figure out how to put out yesterdays fires. They are focused on timing and an end game. The strategy is how is Kerry going to be percieved on Nov. 2nd. The Kerry campaign is now approaching crunch time. Kerry must show his own decisiveness, strength and convictions. Then Kerry must expose Bush's folly as President. Most importantly, make these points become the topic, in mainstream America. Everything is riding on the next 30 days and change.

As a platform to get this message across, debates are a great springboard. Something will be said in this debate that will stick in the collective consciousness, I think at some point, people will realize during the debates, we are heading down a grave road into disaster and George Bush is in the drivers seat. That is what needs to be potrayed.

That's my 2 cents.

PS Burnout, campaign burnout is setting in, people will be sickened by the intense media blitz. It is coming, I hope all of us survive it!

[infidel]

Agreed yeahwho. Kerry's handlers are no dummies, they know the average American's memory barely makes it though a set of commercials on their daily reality show.
What went down in the last six months will make little difference compared to the next month.
Best thing Kerry can do in the debates is get bush mad. It will fluster junior so bad he'll stutter his way though the rest of the debate.