C-SPAN's Coverage of Tonight's Debate

[Zoot]

He plugged Bush's dad's book earlier, too : ) This isn't a debate, it's a book club.

 

[burrow_owl]

they're talking about Russia.

Bush is walking the fine line pretty well, though. I'll bet he wasn't looking forward to that question.

 

[praying]

he has a good "relation" (twice) with Vladimir

 

[Zoot]

Let's not forget Putin's media blackout on his war on Chechnya.

 

[Amalthea]

he has a good "relation" (twice) with Vladimir

I hope not in the Biblical sense.

 

[HeatherJay]

he has a good "relation" (twice) with Vladimir

lol, I wonder if ole Vlad would agree?

 

[burrow_owl]

What the heck was that exchange? Saddam? What? Or am I just getting tired?

 

[Law of Loud]

BUSH RHETORIC: HE “HOPES” HIS POLICY IN NORTH KOREA WORKS

While Bush Failed to Have a Plan, Kerry Will Make it A Priority To End Nuclear Weapons Programs In North Korea, Kerry will make it a priority to end nuclear weapons programs in states like North Korea and Iran. As President, Kerry will continue the six party negotiations, but will also be prepared to talk directly with North Korea. John Kerry would adopt a comprehensive approach based on the hard realities that confront us. While Kerry would maintain all options, including military ones, he would be willing to negotiate on a range of issues of concern to both parties, including North Korea’s concerns for its security and economic development. [NYT, 9/12/04], [Washington Post, 7/9/04] [Washington Post, 8/6/04]

North Korean Nuclear Capability Has Quadrupled Under Bush’s Watch While He Sat By and Failed to Do Anything. The Bush administration's erratic handling of the North Korean nuclear crisis has served only to create confusion and put North Korea's despotic leader, Kim Jong Il, in the driver's seat. Bush initially said he would “not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea,” yet since he took office, North Korea’s nuclear capability has “quadrupled,” with U.S. intelligence services estimating that Pyongyang now has fuel for up to eight nuclear weapons. According to Bush Administration officials, “The United States has determined that North Korea is working on new ballistic missile systems designed to deliver nuclear warheads and that it is testing the technology by proxy in Iran.” [ABC, “This Week, 9/12/04; Christian Science Monitor, 9/15/04; Associated Press, 8/5/04; NYT, 9/12/04]

Former Bush Special Envoy to North Korea Said Bush Lacked An Effective Strategy To Deal With North Korea. “Charles Pritchard, formerly Secretary of State Colin Powell's top official dealing with North Korea, has warned for months that "the White House lacks an effective strategy to dissuade North Korea from building up its nuclear arms." Under Bush's watch, "North Korea's nuclear arsenal, which was once thought to number one or two weapons, appears to be growing substantially." According to Pritchard, the situation has deteriorated because "the administration has neither offered much of a carrot nor wielded a stick." The administration has refused to engage North Korea in direct negotiations or "put the North Koreans on notice that further developments will trigger economic sanctions or perhaps even military actions." [United Press International, 9/21/04]

 

[HeatherJay]

Any one else feel like Bush is trying to scare the American people into giving him the vote? "If you vote for Kerry something really, really bad is going to happen to you."

Or is it just me?

 

[burrow_owl]

I think they're both doing that, to a degree. That's what foreign policy is about.

 

[Amalthea]

But the scare tactic is perhaps the focus of the Bush campaign.

 

[Glaz]

Any one else feel like Bush is trying to scare the American people into giving him the vote? "If you vote for Kerry something really, really bad is going to happen to you?"

Or is it just me?

Nah, I think both are saying we have real things to worry about, Bush is just saying he'll do better than Kerry at protecting us.

 

[Zoot]

Vote for me or the country gets it.

 

[praying]

But the scare tactic is perhaps the focus of the Bush campaign.

Focus, it is the campaign.

 

[burrow_owl]

Paraphrase: 'If you don't vote for me, the world will drift toward tragedy.'

Comic timing.

 

[praying]

WEll it was much much better than I thought given all the rules.

 

[Amalthea]

Focus, it is the campaign.

I know, I was just giving a tiny benefit of doubt.

 

[Glaz]

Hmmm, Kerry won this one. Bush had his moments though. Kerry is going to get a 2-3 point bump in the polls if not more.

 

[Doctrine1st]

Kerry did great, but he missed a whole lot of opportunities. He should have summed up the current state of Afghanistan.

 

[burrow_owl]

WEll it was much much better than I thought given all the rules.

No joke. I thought I'd switch it off after a few minutes, but it was pretty good.

Any predictions on what this'll do to the tenor and theme of the election?