C-SPAN's Coverage of Tonight's Debate

[armed2010]

Very good debate, better than I expected with the new rules and such. What I got out of it was that Bush wasnt really going to change, and we were in for more of the same (i.e. bad decisions, more deaths, being bullheaded with the international community) and Kerry wanted to change things and make a strong effort to make things better.

 

[MKalashnikov]

I'm guessing you are a little young to remember. Reagan was only hated by the extreme left and people outside the US, especially in Europe. There was no concerted groundswell on the Democratic side of hatred.

Once again, there can be no denying that the Left Hated Reagan. They did everything they could to destroy him. The Media was firmly in their Court, but Reagan was consistantly able to go over their heads by going straight to the people. In addition he had the gift of being an incredible speaker.

I already mentioned the fact that many Democrats in the 1980s were not leftists.

Even Nixon I don't think was hated like Bush. He was by 1974 but not in 1972.

Though I do agree with you that hatred isn't going to get the other guy elected typically in a centrist democracy.

History is clear on this. It wasn't enough to Get Dole elected in 1996.

 

[Ave Maria]

I only saw the first 30-35 minutes of the debate before I started to fall asleep from boredom. Foreign policy just isn't what I'm interested in for this election. Yes, it's important but other issues interest me way more. I think Kerry was doing real good (at least up until I quit watching it).

 

[BigToe]

i agree holly. everyone knows pretty much what the foreign policy issues are and can pretty much guess the stances on them held by kerry and bush. and for a large number of us- it doesn't directly have bearing on our daily lives the way some of the other issues do. thats why the other debates will be something to tune into- because they should address some of those other things that might directly influence our lifestyles.

 

[Doctrine1st]

Not all Democrats in the 1980s were leftists. There were more than a Few Democrats who were Conservative. (Most of them from the South) Many of the Reagan Democrats didn't go back to being Democrats after Reagan.

The fact remains that the hardcore leftists hated Reagan with a passion. Same thing with Nixon.

Conservatives hated Clinton with a Passion too, but that didn't let Bob Dole win.

Most Democrats are not hardcore leftists, (what ever that really means) and many are quite conservative when it comes to certian issues. The small fringe groups in number who hate, are so few they will not make a difference in voting patterns. So the fact that they hate an opponent has no bearing. It is those who see themselves as indepencent.

 

[KenH]

I think after the dust settles that the scientific polls will show that while the people give Senator Kerry the nod on style points and presentation that the people will side with President Bush's policies.

 

[BigToe]

what policies did he even go into though? tonight he did the emotional ploys and tried to criticize kerry's record. kerry at least mentioned parts of his plans. bush didnt.

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

what policies did he even go into though? tonight he did the emotional ploys and tried to criticize kerry's record. kerry at least mentioned parts of his plans. bush didnt.

I don't know if either really went in depth on policy issues... Most of this debate was "I will do this better if I am President" I don't think they really efficiently explained to me how they were going to do it, just that they would do it better than the other.

 

[BigToe]

right- but how in depth can you get when your longest response time is 2 minutes? kerry hinted at some plans- vaguely. bush just said something about training iraqis....nothing about what we're doing in the meantime.

 

[Jacob4Jesus]

right- but how in depth can you get when your longest response time is 2 minutes? kerry hinted at some plans- vaguely. bush just said something about training iraqis....nothing about what we're doing in the meantime.

True, not enough time to really go in depth. Maybe I will wait for the swimsuit competition. (that sounded funny in my brain, but the mental image disturbed me more than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

 

[Amalthea]

I think after the dust settles that the scientific polls will show that while the people give Senator Kerry the nod on style points and presentation that the people will side with President Bush's policies.

People will side more with Bush the person than Bush's policies. Look at the polls that ask specific policy questions and Bush's position usually comes off on the wrong side. But where Bush does score well is people think even if he is wrong that he is committed (I agree) and that you know what you are getting with him.

Never underestimate the 'Devil you know versus the Devil you don't' vote.

 

[HeatherJay]

True, not enough time to really go in depth. Maybe I will wait for the swimsuit competition. (that sounded funny in my brain, but the mental image disturbed me more than a Dario Argento film)

Thanks for that mental image, Jacob.

 

[praying]

People will side more with Bush the person than Bush's policies. Look at the polls that ask specific policy questions and Bush's position usually comes off on the wrong side. But where Bush does score well is people think even if he is wrong that he is committed (I agree) and that you know what you are getting with him.

Never underestimate the 'Devil you know versus the Devil you don't' vote.

And that is the downfall of this election, so many are blind to or don't care about his acutal policies, thye think he's committed.

Like Kerry said you can be certian and wrong.

 

[Amalthea]

And that is the downfall of this election, so many are blind to or don't care about his acutal policies, thye think he's committed.

Like Kerry said you can be certian and wrong.

I agree and it seems a trend that increases over time, in just my lifetime.

 

[BigToe]

Like Kerry said you can be certian and wrong.

I know I am all the time

 

[praying]

I know I am all the time

yeah my husband has that bad habit too!

 

[nadroj1985]

Like Kerry said you can be certian and wrong.

That was probably the best point Kerry made all night, IMO. That's getting at the core of their differences in political philosophy, and it was a distinction that needed to be made.

 

[Jewles]

Well if anyone has a link to the debate poll for Foxnews, will you please post is cause i looked all over for it and i couldnt find it, i even did the search on their site. Joe Scarborough poll has Kerry winning 70% to 30%.

 

[praying]

Well if anyone has a link to the debate poll for Foxnews, will you please post is cause i looked all over for it and i couldnt find it, i even did the search on their site. Joe Scarborough poll has Kerry winning 70% to 30%.

Well I will stick my neck out here that if you searched their site and didn't find it, it doesn't exist.

 

[Jewles]

I dont hold alot of credit for polls, but these are the ones i have found on this tonight. I watched every minute tonight, and didnt need a poll to tell me who won!

(i got these in a e-mail, i didnt run around looking for them)

http://www.cnn.com

http://www.time.com/time /

http://www.msmagazine.com/debate_poll.asp

http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/debatei /

http://www.boston.com (Look for "survey: Who did better in the debate?")

http://www.newsday.com (Look for "Poll: Rate the candidates")

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6123733 /

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6028629 / (vote under Polls -> MSNBC)

http://www.nbc5i.com/index.html

http://argusleader.com

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004 /

http://nbc25.com/webpoll.asp

http://www.tbo.com /

http://www.newsnet5.com/index.html

http://www.channelcincinnati.com/index.html