I guess I missed the first 30 mins of it (just watched the replay since i couldn't see it earlier today) so here's my objective take from what I saw:

Bush actually surprised me with his speaking; it seemed a lot better than he has been in the past. Still not very good but much improved.

Kerry did screw up by not looking into the camera...that is poor speech technique for a debate of this importance.

If I had a nickle for everytime Kerry talked about his Vietnam experience and one for everytime Bush tried to throw that "wrong war wrong place wrong time" and "mixed messages" in Kerry's face I'd be on Forbes list of top 10 richest people in the world. It made me sick.

Neither one of them really directly answered most of the questions. They both went off on tangets instead of staying focused.

Bush: Drove home the point about Kerry's statements and the flip flop and how it can affect our troops attitudes towards the war. Brought up a good point which attacked Kerry about not changing your core values to suit what the rest of the world wants. I tend to side with Bush on the subject of unilateral involvement with N Korea but I disagree with not addressing N Korea directly.

Kerry: Fired back very well by basically saying that Bush is being stubborn and refusing to change his views in light of new info. Also, the point he made about North Korea and nukes and how Bush is sending mixed messages by not more actively pursuing that issue yet invading Iraq for WMDS I think really drove a nail into Bush's statements. Also, the point about stopping the spread of Nukes and how Bush has not done a very good job since 9/11 of securing nuclear material.

Bush: Never really answered to Kerry's claims of "more of the same in Iraq" and I didn't really see him say anything indicating how he planned to get Iraq under control. Kerry wasn't a whole lot better on it but at least he laid out SOME ideas to improve things albeit some are already being done. When Bush talked about the war being worth it he showed great compassion and human side while speaking about the woman who's husband died over there that he talked with. Kerry showed no real emotion...big + for Bush there I think.

The Genocide issue they BOTH completely sidestepped and avoided the question because neither wanted to say "Bringing up that issue and the possibility of sending more troops out to another country at this point is political suicide"

Looked like Kerry really got under Bush's skin at times and got him flustered and jumping the gun to fire back instead of waiting for the moderator to let him speak...looked bad for Bush IMO.

Bush BLASTED Kerry with the comment about "Those sanctions on Libya were put in place LONG before I got into office" made Kerry look a bit like an uninformed ass.

Kerry blasted Bush after Bush said "The enemy attacked us" referring to 9/11 and Kerry fired back with "BIN LADEN was the enemy that attacked us NOT Saddam" made Bush look bad.

Overall I think Kerry will gain a lot of ground on Bush after this debate but in reality very little REAL substance came out of it as far as addressing issues. Both of them regurgitated a lot of info again and again and again.



Formerly known as Sneaku I MISS MY BABY!!! '00 Blk CSVT #1087/2150 built 12/23/99