[dB]

My decision was made long before the debates, but my thoughts are these:

1. I'm still unclear about Kerry's stance regarding his plans for our future involvement in Iraq, i.e. How will he finish the job in 6 months and what does "finish the job" mean? Will the troops get flak jackets and armored Hummers and everything else they need, or is the $200B already too much?

2. The issue regarding N. Korea at the end of the debate, added to Kerry's earlier remarks about "building consensus" around the Iraq issue, raise questions (for me) about US sovereignty and Kerry's intentions. Bush addressed this to a degree, but not vehemently enough in my opinion. How are "bilateral talks with North Korea" different than "negotiating with terrorists"?

[Baketech]

The media did a predictably good job of fronting for their horse in the Kerry-Bush debate, and it appears that they are playing the same cards with the Edwards-Cheney debate this week....

They know the game well....portray Edwards as the underdog, downplay expectations to the point where he only has to show up with his fly zipped to generate a "win". Today they are prattling on about how the round table format "favors" Cheney....

What sheeple we are.... baaaa baaaa

[sheepofblue]

Originally Posted by Baketech

The media did a predictably good job of fronting for their horse in the Kerry-Bush debate, and it appears that they are playing the same cards with the Edwards-Cheney debate this week....

They know the game well....portray Edwards as the underdog, downplay expectations to the point where he only has to show up with his fly zipped to generate a "win". Today they are prattling on about how the round table format "favors" Cheney....

What sheeple we are.... baaaa baaaa

Hey the sheep vote does not go liberal

[spillover]

Originally Posted by bwhip

My point is that it is very easy for Kerry and others to now suggest that this war was misguided. But at the time, didn't most of Congress, including Senator Kerry, believe that Saddam had WMD's and was a "grave threat" to the US (I believe those were also Kerry's words).

snipped

Kerry is a member of the legislative branch. Bush is the head of the executive branch, of which the intelligence apparatus is a part. Being a member of the Congress does not simply entitle you to uncensored intelligence information. Being the head honcho and the man most in need of accurate assessments should.

At the time, the president framed the Iraq war as, "If you are a patriotic American, you are against terror, and therefore for the Iraq war, or you are unpatriotic." Dicey political circumstances, agreed, but Kerry could have at least abstained. I'd rather a leader be 'wait-and-see' until he had a firm understanding of the situation than be 'I've-made-a-decision-until-I-see-something-to-change-my-mind'.

Didn't see the debate but I had a gander at the transcripts. The Pearl-Harbor-Mexico, missed for me in light of the historical context. The Japanese were German allies in WWII, the Mexicans were putative allies of the Germans in WWI (Zimmerman note). There is a lot of could-have-been-the-right-call in the analogy. Anyways, I think its just wrong.

None of it changes who I am going to vote for, though.

[luvtolean]

I'd say however you call it, that asshole Kerry won the debate in the polls.

[BDA116]

Originally Posted by spillover

Kerry is a member of the legislative branch. Bush is the head of the executive branch, of which the intelligence apparatus is a part. Being a member of the Congress does not simply entitle you to uncensored intelligence information. Being the head honcho and the man most in need of accurate assessments should.

At the time, the president framed the Iraq war as, "If you are a patriotic American, you are against terror, and therefore for the Iraq war, or you are unpatriotic." Dicey political circumstances, agreed, but Kerry could have at least abstained. I'd rather a leader be 'wait-and-see' until he had a firm understanding of the situation than be 'I've-made-a-decision-until-I-see-something-to-change-my-mind'.

Didn't see the debate but I had a gander at the transcripts. The Pearl-Harbor-Mexico, missed for me in light of the historical context. The Japanese were German allies in WWII, the Mexicans were putative allies of the Germans in WWI (Zimmerman note). There is a lot of could-have-been-the-right-call in the analogy. Anyways, I think its just wrong.

None of it changes who I am going to vote for, though.

However, as a member of the "Senate Intelligence" Committe (yeah, oxymoron), kerry had access to all of the information. Well, he would have, had he shown up to more than 24% of the meetings.
Also, the full intelligence was made available to every member of the Senate before the vote. Even kerry himself has admitted that.

[Baketech]

Originally Posted by luvtolean

I'd say however you call it, that asshole Kerry won the debate in the polls.

Gore beat him in the debate too....

[luvtolean]

Originally Posted by Baketech

Gore beat him in the debate too....

And we all know that Gore won the election!

[Baketech]

Originally Posted by luvtolean

And we all know that Gore won the election!

Here come the leg humpers....

[Baketech]

How many times do you think Edwards will say "Halliburton" during the debate?

[spillover]

Originally Posted by BDA116

However, as a member of the "Senate Intelligence" Committe (yeah, oxymoron), kerry had access to all of the information. Well, he would have, had he shown up to more than 24% of the meetings.
Also, the full intelligence was made available to every member of the Senate before the vote. Even kerry himself has admitted that.

After I posted that, it dawned on me that he was on the committee. Fair enough.

[BDA116]

Originally Posted by Baketech

How many times do you think Edwards will say "Halliburton" during the debate?

Not as many as Edwards.

[BDA116]

Originally Posted by spillover

After I posted that, it dawned on me that he was on the committee. Fair enough.

[luvtolean]

Originally Posted by Baketech

How many times do you think Edwards will say "Halliburton" during the debate?

Originally Posted by BDA116

Not as many as Edwards.

[oldfogey]

Originally Posted by sheepofblue

Hey the sheep vote does not go liberal

For the record, I think in the UK they vote Liberal Democrat. Woolly-headed, follow-my-leader, herd instinct and not too interested in how high the tax rate is because they don't pay any.

[Baketech]

Started a 2nd thread for theVice Presidential Debates.

[Baketech]

Round 2 is less than an hour away....

[sheepofblue]

Originally Posted by oldfogey

For the record, I think in the UK they vote Liberal Democrat. Woolly-headed, follow-my-leader, herd instinct and not too interested in how high the tax rate is because they don't pay any.

That is the sheep FARMERS if the sheep vote there would be a Fireblade (or more) in every sheepfold Or at least the blue ones I can't speak for the pansy ass white ones.

[Baketech]

Sheep....do your riding gloves have velcro palms...

[Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Baketech

Anyone going to watch?
While I'm not thrilled with the canned format, I plan to watch them.

My predictions?
Due to Bush being a poor motivational speaker, I think Kerry will come out ahead in the debates. This will erode Bush's current poll lead, and put them in a dead heat going into the election.

Bring it on.....

This is the only post I've read in this thread, my thinking weeks ago was along your lines exactly, and guess what?... Not hard to figure out out, as Bush is totally illiterate, and Cheney isn't far behind.

[Bacchus]

Jesus! I'm just back online, and already sucked into a political thread originated by Baketeck!