The Discerning Texan
All that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.
-- Edmund Burke
-- Edmund Burke
Thursday, October 14, 2004
The Debate: Blow by Blow
Q1: Will our children and grandchildren ever live in a world as secure as ours?
Bush won this one. Kerry’s last-minute "I will hunt them down and we will kill them all" was lame and tired, defensive, and frankly not believable. Bush’s answer ("we need to stay on offense...") scored points with the base. Bush presentation looking smooth so far. Kerry C Bush A
Q2: How did the shortage of flu vaccines occur?
Bush: Took right action not to allow contaminated medicine in. If you are healthy don’t get a shot. Nice transition to litigation reform because vaccine providers afraid of being sued. A “plan” is not a "litany of complaints" (good line). Bait and switch reference. He connected here. Bush handled this one with ease. A+
Kerry: Goes immediately to problems with health care. 5 million people lost insurance. (I suspect that Schieffer really intended this question to be a softball for Kerry so he could rattle off health care criticisms without confrontation.) Larger issue: we don’t cover Americans. And he doesn’t answer the flu shot question at all. Not to mention he looks very defensive on redirect. B-
Q3: You have said no taxes on people making less than 200K. How can you or any President keep that pledge w/o running country deeper into debt?
Kerry immediately starts talking about job losses. Pay for it by “restoring fiscal discipline”. Weak answer. “Change relationships with the banks” What the hell is he talking about??? F
Bush: Pounces on Kerry's weak answer. (Bush is definitely different person from the first debate...) Kerry’s rhetoric does not match his record (excellent). Kerry voted for tax increases 98 times and against reduction 127 times (Pow!). K voted 277 times to waive budget caps. Pay as you go means you pay and he spends. 2.2 Trillion new spending, but his tax only raises 600 mil. I will reduce by ½ in 5 years. Long fly ball...going...going... gone! A+
Q4: Jobs. What do you say to someone who has lost his job to someone overseas?
Neither candidate had a very good answer for this. I won't regurgitate the answers from my notes here. Although I do like Bush's answer about education being the answer to future generations. But he doesn't really answer the question for current workers. Neither does Kerry. Give them both a C.
Q5: President doesn’t have much control over jobs. Is it fair to blame admin entirely?
Kerry: I don’t blame him entirely. "Outsourcing will happen". Will make playing field as level as possible. Benefit for going overseas to business. Will shut that loophole. Job hiring credit. Fair trade playing field. Stumbled a bit on China response. Good answer! A
Bush: Increased Pell Grants by a million students. More money in pockets due to tax relief. Child credit, marriage penalty. 10% bracket. Your money. Good answer but not sure he connected. B
Redirect: Kerry says he voted for over 600 tax cuts! Unbelievable -- no way in hell this is true! Bush pounces again: said Kennedy is the conservative Senator from Mass! Great line. Kerry may have blown the whole question by the false claim about his tax cuts. He's trying to be all things to all people and he is not succeeding. Bush A ; Kerry F
Nice finish for the President on the redirect.
Q6: Is homosexuality a choice?
Bush scores on activist judges. Kerry looks really sleazy by bringing up Cheney’s daughter. Outrageous to use her like that. Kerry is shameless to point a finger at "Dick Cheney's homosexual daughter..." Big mistake and people are going to see through this. Bush A ; Kerry F
Q7: Catholic Bishop says it is sin to vote for Kerry on right to choose and stem cell research. What would you say to this?
Kerry said he can’t legislate his own article of faith. Won’t allow change of Roe v. Wade. (That’s a litmis test! Red flag to social conservative voters.) Quotes from the Bible (please!). That makes his whole response sound contrived. C
Bush: Every person matters. Reasonable people can make good law. Kerry's support of Partial birth abortion, despite Bipartisan vote to ban the practice. Kerry voted against (Bush landed here with his base). B+
Q8 – Health insursnce costs. Who bears responsibility for cost increases?
Bush scored big here: consumers not involved in decision making (Good). No market forces involved. (Good) Health savings accounts. (Good). Lawsuits causing health care costs to rise. (Good) Generic drugs to market quicker. Home run answer. Bush is looking good. A+
Kerry hit back on imports from Canada (Kerry lands here). Bulk purchasing for medicare. President made that illegal. Profits to drug companies. He’s doing good, landing punches then suddenly Kerry says he passed 56 bills (only 5 Kerry bills in 20 years ever were passed into law). With this, Kerry completely blew what had been a really good answer. C
Q9 – You proposed massive plan for catastrophic and children’s coverage. Cost more than your plan said you will raise, how will you pay?
Kerry is really reaching by quoting “2 leading news network said….” Nothing but gobbledygook. He isn't even making sense. He is stumbling. Horrible answer. Kerry looked really like a deer in the headlights. F-
Bush quoted bipartisan Lewin report and $1.2 Trillion cost of Kerry's plan. (Bam!) Points out that raising Medicaid costs will cause private insurers to bail out (Bam!) Home Run. A+
Bush is scoring direct hits, and often. Looking really good.
Q10: Social Security running out of money. Private savings accounts? Where will you get the money?
Bush: All seniors – you will get your checks. There is a problem for our youngsters (honest). If we don’t act today debt will be in Trillions. So we need to offer our young a different strategy. Vital issue, am willing to take it on. Health care savings accounts. Well done. A
Kerry: To allow young people to take money out for savings account would be invitation to disaster. Big budget hole. Where will President get the money? Kerry doesn’t say how he would do it either, just says we will protect social security. B
Q11: Greenspan says no way SS can pay retirees what was promised unless we recalibrate? How would you do it?
Kerry has no answer for this question. Then he says "Greenspan supported cuts, I didn’t..." (big mistake to disagree with with the oracle Greenspan, IMO). Now he plays the class warfare card. Richest Americans get the biggest break. (Right John, they pay more in...) blah blah blah. Never answers the question. D
Bush immediately calls him on it “I heard no plan”. Pow! Tax relief got us out of recession, out of 9/11 attack. We acted. I led. 1.9M new jobs. Good answer, he responded on Kerry's attacks on his tax cuts, but he also didn’t answer Sheiffer's specific question. B-
Q12: Immigration – protecting the border
Neither candidate really satisfied me on this. Huge problem, Chechens reportedly entered country through Mexico. Bush cited experience as “border governor”. Says he does not favor amnesty, Kerry voted for amnesty. C
Kerry still talking about health care! Class warfare again. Points out problem at border but no solution. D Kerry has bad habit of continuing to answer previous questions...makes him look defensive, like he thinks he didn't answer it well enough already.
Kerry is starting to lose this debate on points.
Q13: Minimum wage. Is it time to raise min wage (softball)
Kerry played to his base here. Lowest min wage value in 50 years. Will raise minimum wage to 7.00 per hour. President fights for millionaires but not minimum wage. Family values but don’t value families. Equal pay. Inaccurate answer economically but it probably played well with his base. A+ (I don't buy his answers, but it is just what his base wanted to hear...)
Bush: I supported Mitch McConnell’s minimum wage plan. Need to make sure education works. Raise stds. No Child left behind is really a jobs act. Can’t solve problems unless you diagnose. Measure. Kids shuffled through before. Spend money now to correct problems, Jobs in 21st century only if we have an education system. C Bush blew an opportunity to explain why the minimum wage will cost jobs...
Q14: Overturn Roe v. Wade?
Bush blows a chance here. He says no litmus test, interpret the constitution. But he left unused almost 1.5 minutes of talking time. Tactical error. D
K: Right of choice is Constitutional. President wants to remain ambivalent. Now Kerry goes off on Black Unemployment (he is responding to No Child Left Behind in previous question again...). So he doesn’t dwell on it either. Kerry clearly has litmus test. C-
Q15: Draft question. National Guard strained. What would you do?
Softball for Kerry to launch on Iraq and he does so. Says he will add 2 active duty divisions and double special forces. Doesn’t say how. C
Bush says the best way to take pressure off is to succeed in Iraq, Train Iraqis. Brings up Kerry’s Foreign policy and Global test (good, he needed to hit this again). Kerry would seek International approval. Good opportunity to bring these points up. We will work with friends but will never turn over FP to foreign leaders. Big time answer. A+
Redirect: Kerry said he would not give any nation a veto. But then he talks about a “truth” standard. Whose truth? He blows it again! Plus he looks defensive here. D
Bush goes yard with Kerry’s 1990 vote against Gulf war. International community said force was right in that case and Kerry against. So how can we trust that now Kerry would think we could pass ANY test. Great, great response. A+
Q16: Assault weapons legislation
Bush said the bill was DOA in congress. Argued for prosecuting existing gun laws rather than passing new ones. B-
Kerry said he won’t tamper with 2nd amendment, argues most law enforcement agencies wanted the assault ban. B
Q17: Affirmative action needed?
Kerry said yes, plays to his base. Bush deflected the question. Bush says he did meet with Black caucus. Bush against quotas. Pell Grants, home ownership up. Kerry B; Bush C
Q18: What part does faith play in policy decisions
Bush’s answer seems very sincere and heartfelt. Mindful that people are equally Americans whether they worship or not. Prayer sustained me in the storms of the Presidency, but won let religion make decisions for anyone else. Excellent answer! A+ again!
Kerry: Two greatest commandments. A lot more loving of our neighbor to do in this country and on this planet (good answer, but the picture of Kerry quoting scripture just doesn't play...) Separate but unequal school system. B
Q19: after 9/11 country came together, some has melted away. Why so polarized? Will you set a priority in bringing country back together? (softball)
Kerry compliments Bush for his actions after 9/11, then immediately blames Bush for the division. Most divided nation in recent memory. Parties locked out of meetings. Commiteed to changing that. Reached across the aisle to find common ground (no examples of this, sounds like homogenous crap). Blah blah blah. Nice answer but full of shit. Will work with McCain for campaign finance. D
Bush: My biggest disappointment. Record of bipartisanship in Texas. Made good progress early on. No Child Left Behind (w/ Kennedy). Washington is a tough town. Entrenched special interests. Dig in. Was pretty divided in 2000 election and 1990s too. Glad he mentioned McCain, because McCain supports me and Iraq plan. Home run. A- Great answer, but I personally think he should have gotten into the Michael Moore and Bush hatred and he stayed away.
Q20: What is the most important thing that you have learned from your wife?
Bush’s answer was hearfelt, and it connected. You can tell he is in love with Laura and the girls. A+
Kerry starts out by talking about his mother. He barely mentions his wife (pan to Teresa, and she looks pissed!), finishes with how tough his daughters and wife are to him. I wouldn't want to be in Kerry's shoes when he gets home! B-
Kerry closing statement: America tested by division. Need t/b united. Like FDR, don’t care if REpub or Dem ideas. Tested strong leadership. Calm waters of troubled world. Health care. Will never allow any country to have veto. God. Conviction in mission. Greatest possibilities are ahead. Embark with me. Trust, Help. Privalege of leading this great nation. God bless. B+
Bush closing statement: Oval office painting Tom Lee. W.TX mtn. scene. Sunrise vs. Sunset. Love the optimism of that. How feel about America. Recessiion, Stock Market decline, attack on country. Reformed schools. Next 4 years: Health care avail/affordable. Must never waver on war on terror/enemy. Spread freedom liberty. Prosperous American and Safer World. B
Bush very very well on points. He was on his "A" game again. Bush scored repeatedly on policy points and with the presentation more or less a push, I score it as a sorely needed win for Bush. Kerry really sounded lame tonight. Same tired old talking points, no real plan or solutions. All things to all people. I will give you utopia, just don't ask me how I will do it. And it looks defensive to continue to answer the previous question after the next question has been asked. Also Kerry’s use of Cheney’s daughter was (I thought) unconscionable. Finally, a clear Bush victory.
Bush won this one. Kerry’s last-minute "I will hunt them down and we will kill them all" was lame and tired, defensive, and frankly not believable. Bush’s answer ("we need to stay on offense...") scored points with the base. Bush presentation looking smooth so far. Kerry C Bush A
Q2: How did the shortage of flu vaccines occur?
Bush: Took right action not to allow contaminated medicine in. If you are healthy don’t get a shot. Nice transition to litigation reform because vaccine providers afraid of being sued. A “plan” is not a "litany of complaints" (good line). Bait and switch reference. He connected here. Bush handled this one with ease. A+
Kerry: Goes immediately to problems with health care. 5 million people lost insurance. (I suspect that Schieffer really intended this question to be a softball for Kerry so he could rattle off health care criticisms without confrontation.) Larger issue: we don’t cover Americans. And he doesn’t answer the flu shot question at all. Not to mention he looks very defensive on redirect. B-
Q3: You have said no taxes on people making less than 200K. How can you or any President keep that pledge w/o running country deeper into debt?
Kerry immediately starts talking about job losses. Pay for it by “restoring fiscal discipline”. Weak answer. “Change relationships with the banks” What the hell is he talking about??? F
Bush: Pounces on Kerry's weak answer. (Bush is definitely different person from the first debate...) Kerry’s rhetoric does not match his record (excellent). Kerry voted for tax increases 98 times and against reduction 127 times (Pow!). K voted 277 times to waive budget caps. Pay as you go means you pay and he spends. 2.2 Trillion new spending, but his tax only raises 600 mil. I will reduce by ½ in 5 years. Long fly ball...going...going... gone! A+
Q4: Jobs. What do you say to someone who has lost his job to someone overseas?
Neither candidate had a very good answer for this. I won't regurgitate the answers from my notes here. Although I do like Bush's answer about education being the answer to future generations. But he doesn't really answer the question for current workers. Neither does Kerry. Give them both a C.
Q5: President doesn’t have much control over jobs. Is it fair to blame admin entirely?
Kerry: I don’t blame him entirely. "Outsourcing will happen". Will make playing field as level as possible. Benefit for going overseas to business. Will shut that loophole. Job hiring credit. Fair trade playing field. Stumbled a bit on China response. Good answer! A
Bush: Increased Pell Grants by a million students. More money in pockets due to tax relief. Child credit, marriage penalty. 10% bracket. Your money. Good answer but not sure he connected. B
Redirect: Kerry says he voted for over 600 tax cuts! Unbelievable -- no way in hell this is true! Bush pounces again: said Kennedy is the conservative Senator from Mass! Great line. Kerry may have blown the whole question by the false claim about his tax cuts. He's trying to be all things to all people and he is not succeeding. Bush A ; Kerry F
Nice finish for the President on the redirect.
Q6: Is homosexuality a choice?
Bush scores on activist judges. Kerry looks really sleazy by bringing up Cheney’s daughter. Outrageous to use her like that. Kerry is shameless to point a finger at "Dick Cheney's homosexual daughter..." Big mistake and people are going to see through this. Bush A ; Kerry F
Q7: Catholic Bishop says it is sin to vote for Kerry on right to choose and stem cell research. What would you say to this?
Kerry said he can’t legislate his own article of faith. Won’t allow change of Roe v. Wade. (That’s a litmis test! Red flag to social conservative voters.) Quotes from the Bible (please!). That makes his whole response sound contrived. C
Bush: Every person matters. Reasonable people can make good law. Kerry's support of Partial birth abortion, despite Bipartisan vote to ban the practice. Kerry voted against (Bush landed here with his base). B+
Q8 – Health insursnce costs. Who bears responsibility for cost increases?
Bush scored big here: consumers not involved in decision making (Good). No market forces involved. (Good) Health savings accounts. (Good). Lawsuits causing health care costs to rise. (Good) Generic drugs to market quicker. Home run answer. Bush is looking good. A+
Kerry hit back on imports from Canada (Kerry lands here). Bulk purchasing for medicare. President made that illegal. Profits to drug companies. He’s doing good, landing punches then suddenly Kerry says he passed 56 bills (only 5 Kerry bills in 20 years ever were passed into law). With this, Kerry completely blew what had been a really good answer. C
Q9 – You proposed massive plan for catastrophic and children’s coverage. Cost more than your plan said you will raise, how will you pay?
Kerry is really reaching by quoting “2 leading news network said….” Nothing but gobbledygook. He isn't even making sense. He is stumbling. Horrible answer. Kerry looked really like a deer in the headlights. F-
Bush quoted bipartisan Lewin report and $1.2 Trillion cost of Kerry's plan. (Bam!) Points out that raising Medicaid costs will cause private insurers to bail out (Bam!) Home Run. A+
Bush is scoring direct hits, and often. Looking really good.
Q10: Social Security running out of money. Private savings accounts? Where will you get the money?
Bush: All seniors – you will get your checks. There is a problem for our youngsters (honest). If we don’t act today debt will be in Trillions. So we need to offer our young a different strategy. Vital issue, am willing to take it on. Health care savings accounts. Well done. A
Kerry: To allow young people to take money out for savings account would be invitation to disaster. Big budget hole. Where will President get the money? Kerry doesn’t say how he would do it either, just says we will protect social security. B
Q11: Greenspan says no way SS can pay retirees what was promised unless we recalibrate? How would you do it?
Kerry has no answer for this question. Then he says "Greenspan supported cuts, I didn’t..." (big mistake to disagree with with the oracle Greenspan, IMO). Now he plays the class warfare card. Richest Americans get the biggest break. (Right John, they pay more in...) blah blah blah. Never answers the question. D
Bush immediately calls him on it “I heard no plan”. Pow! Tax relief got us out of recession, out of 9/11 attack. We acted. I led. 1.9M new jobs. Good answer, he responded on Kerry's attacks on his tax cuts, but he also didn’t answer Sheiffer's specific question. B-
Q12: Immigration – protecting the border
Neither candidate really satisfied me on this. Huge problem, Chechens reportedly entered country through Mexico. Bush cited experience as “border governor”. Says he does not favor amnesty, Kerry voted for amnesty. C
Kerry still talking about health care! Class warfare again. Points out problem at border but no solution. D Kerry has bad habit of continuing to answer previous questions...makes him look defensive, like he thinks he didn't answer it well enough already.
Kerry is starting to lose this debate on points.
Q13: Minimum wage. Is it time to raise min wage (softball)
Kerry played to his base here. Lowest min wage value in 50 years. Will raise minimum wage to 7.00 per hour. President fights for millionaires but not minimum wage. Family values but don’t value families. Equal pay. Inaccurate answer economically but it probably played well with his base. A+ (I don't buy his answers, but it is just what his base wanted to hear...)
Bush: I supported Mitch McConnell’s minimum wage plan. Need to make sure education works. Raise stds. No Child left behind is really a jobs act. Can’t solve problems unless you diagnose. Measure. Kids shuffled through before. Spend money now to correct problems, Jobs in 21st century only if we have an education system. C Bush blew an opportunity to explain why the minimum wage will cost jobs...
Q14: Overturn Roe v. Wade?
Bush blows a chance here. He says no litmus test, interpret the constitution. But he left unused almost 1.5 minutes of talking time. Tactical error. D
K: Right of choice is Constitutional. President wants to remain ambivalent. Now Kerry goes off on Black Unemployment (he is responding to No Child Left Behind in previous question again...). So he doesn’t dwell on it either. Kerry clearly has litmus test. C-
Q15: Draft question. National Guard strained. What would you do?
Softball for Kerry to launch on Iraq and he does so. Says he will add 2 active duty divisions and double special forces. Doesn’t say how. C
Bush says the best way to take pressure off is to succeed in Iraq, Train Iraqis. Brings up Kerry’s Foreign policy and Global test (good, he needed to hit this again). Kerry would seek International approval. Good opportunity to bring these points up. We will work with friends but will never turn over FP to foreign leaders. Big time answer. A+
Redirect: Kerry said he would not give any nation a veto. But then he talks about a “truth” standard. Whose truth? He blows it again! Plus he looks defensive here. D
Bush goes yard with Kerry’s 1990 vote against Gulf war. International community said force was right in that case and Kerry against. So how can we trust that now Kerry would think we could pass ANY test. Great, great response. A+
Q16: Assault weapons legislation
Bush said the bill was DOA in congress. Argued for prosecuting existing gun laws rather than passing new ones. B-
Kerry said he won’t tamper with 2nd amendment, argues most law enforcement agencies wanted the assault ban. B
Q17: Affirmative action needed?
Kerry said yes, plays to his base. Bush deflected the question. Bush says he did meet with Black caucus. Bush against quotas. Pell Grants, home ownership up. Kerry B; Bush C
Q18: What part does faith play in policy decisions
Bush’s answer seems very sincere and heartfelt. Mindful that people are equally Americans whether they worship or not. Prayer sustained me in the storms of the Presidency, but won let religion make decisions for anyone else. Excellent answer! A+ again!
Kerry: Two greatest commandments. A lot more loving of our neighbor to do in this country and on this planet (good answer, but the picture of Kerry quoting scripture just doesn't play...) Separate but unequal school system. B
Q19: after 9/11 country came together, some has melted away. Why so polarized? Will you set a priority in bringing country back together? (softball)
Kerry compliments Bush for his actions after 9/11, then immediately blames Bush for the division. Most divided nation in recent memory. Parties locked out of meetings. Commiteed to changing that. Reached across the aisle to find common ground (no examples of this, sounds like homogenous crap). Blah blah blah. Nice answer but full of shit. Will work with McCain for campaign finance. D
Bush: My biggest disappointment. Record of bipartisanship in Texas. Made good progress early on. No Child Left Behind (w/ Kennedy). Washington is a tough town. Entrenched special interests. Dig in. Was pretty divided in 2000 election and 1990s too. Glad he mentioned McCain, because McCain supports me and Iraq plan. Home run. A- Great answer, but I personally think he should have gotten into the Michael Moore and Bush hatred and he stayed away.
Q20: What is the most important thing that you have learned from your wife?
Bush’s answer was hearfelt, and it connected. You can tell he is in love with Laura and the girls. A+
Kerry starts out by talking about his mother. He barely mentions his wife (pan to Teresa, and she looks pissed!), finishes with how tough his daughters and wife are to him. I wouldn't want to be in Kerry's shoes when he gets home! B-
Kerry closing statement: America tested by division. Need t/b united. Like FDR, don’t care if REpub or Dem ideas. Tested strong leadership. Calm waters of troubled world. Health care. Will never allow any country to have veto. God. Conviction in mission. Greatest possibilities are ahead. Embark with me. Trust, Help. Privalege of leading this great nation. God bless. B+
Bush closing statement: Oval office painting Tom Lee. W.TX mtn. scene. Sunrise vs. Sunset. Love the optimism of that. How feel about America. Recessiion, Stock Market decline, attack on country. Reformed schools. Next 4 years: Health care avail/affordable. Must never waver on war on terror/enemy. Spread freedom liberty. Prosperous American and Safer World. B
Bush very very well on points. He was on his "A" game again. Bush scored repeatedly on policy points and with the presentation more or less a push, I score it as a sorely needed win for Bush. Kerry really sounded lame tonight. Same tired old talking points, no real plan or solutions. All things to all people. I will give you utopia, just don't ask me how I will do it. And it looks defensive to continue to answer the previous question after the next question has been asked. Also Kerry’s use of Cheney’s daughter was (I thought) unconscionable. Finally, a clear Bush victory.
