Your Reactions to the Second Presidential Debate

[Koyaanisqatsi]

More details on the initial poll numbers:

1. Regardless of which candidate you happen to support, who do you think did the better job in the debate?

Kerry Bush Neither (vol.) Both/ equally (vol.) No opinion
2004 Oct 8 47 45 1 7 *
2004 Sep 30 53 37 1 8 1

2. How has your opinion of John Kerry been affected by the debate? Is your opinion of Kerry -- more favorable, less favorable, or has it not changed much?

More favorable Less favorable Not changed much No opinion
2004 Oct 8 38 20 42 *
2004 Sep 30 46 13 41 *

3. How has your opinion of George W. Bush been affected by the debate? Is your opinion of Bush -- more favorable, less favorable, or has it not changed much?

More favorable Less favorable Not changed much No opinion
2004 Oct 8 31 20 49 *
2004 Sep 30 21 17 62 *

[Dis]

Originally posted by Moral Hazard
My biggest question was I thought the people in the room were suppose to be undecided voters. They certainly didn't act like it.

some acted like this, but certainly not the woman who asked the final question. or the abortion question.

[Drachasor]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
Drachosor:

there's a difference between keeping abortion legal and (what was the woman's question...) forcing tax payers to pay for it.

And he *answered* why he has to do that, to make sure people have the ability to exercise their rights in this matter. Just because she believes the government shouldn't fund any abortions at all doesn't mean that should become national policy.

When the mother's life is threatened, and in cases of rape or incest there should be government financing as necessary.

-Drachasor

[Al B. Sure!]

some would consider that systematic genocide, diss... sanger would have... in fact that was the purpose of abortion to her. kill the undesireable poor people.

[sprucemoose3311]

Kerry: "Bush is listed as a small logging business"

Bush: I own a corporation? thats news to me.


Bush to Gibson: would you like to buy some wood




Best lines of the night

[Koyaanisqatsi]

some would consider that systematic genocide, diss... sanger would have... in fact that was the purpose of abortion to her. kill the undesireable poor people.

Well, government funding resolves that, at least....

Edit: nm. It's late, and I obviously need to start reading posts before replying...

[Al B. Sure!]

some acted like this, but certainly not the woman who asked the final question. or the abortion question.

the patriot act guy was most definently biased... how is he going to assume that his rights are eroded for the question?

[Dis]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
some would consider that systematic genocide, diss... sanger would have... in fact that was the purpose of abortion to her. kill the undesireable poor people.

abortion is sad in a way. I'm not a big supporter of it.

But I really don't think men should make a decision on this. Men will never know how it feels.

This should be voted on by women, and only women.

[Al B. Sure!]

Well, government funding resolves that, at least....

blah? gov't funding intensifies that! FREE ABORTIONS! who can resist free services?

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Originally posted by Albert Speer


blah? gov't funding intensifies that! FREE ABORTIONS! you know you dont want a child... ABORT!

Yeah, caught that. Doh!

[Al B. Sure!]

who can resist free stuff?

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I know I want to get pregnant just for the free abortion!

[Zkribbler]

I think, over all, Kerry did the best job.

But Bush made one of the best points when he said, "The best way to fight terror is through liberty, which we're doing in Afghanistan and Iraq" -- at which point, Bush sat down. Sometimes being persuasive is making your point clearly, concisely and then shutting up.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by MrFun


It's not that I'm focusing exclusively on that -- there were other points in the debate that Bush did more poorly than Kerry.

But it really irked me the way Bush simply did not answer the last question.

But he did. He did admit that he made some mistakes in staffing, and he did allow that every decision in Iraq wasn't the right one.

However, in regards to the last question, I think it was designed to give Kerry a pass; this question that was about his opponent's mistakes, and I would not be surprised if the Bush team were more than a bit upset about how that came to be the last question of the debate.

Bush did better than the last debate - I guess they got the cocktail right this time, but Kerry absolutely pwned Bush in articulateness (I listened to a bit of it over the radio). Kerry spent too much time hammering on Bush, leaving him time only to talk about "having a plan" rather than what the plan actually entails.

Bush blew a historic opportunity - when Kerry looked into the camera and vowed for no more middle class tax cuts, Bush should've said:

"Uh... Senator, my father is a very honorable man, a very honorable man. And, and he once made a pledge of no new taxes... and, it pains me to say it, but it was a pledge he couldn't keep... cost him dearly. And I see you making the same mistake. " chuckles "But fortunately, this election is about preventing you from suffering from the sins of my father."

But that's kinda cold - using your own father to paste your opponent with the "loser" taint.

[Drachasor]

Originally posted by Dissident
abortion is sad in a way. I'm not a big supporter of it.

Basically no one is a big supporter of it. That's something the anti-abortion crowd typically don't understand.

Typically pro-abortion folk are also very pro minimizing the need/desire for abortions. Illegalizing it or making it cost money is a way to increase back alley abortions, and those are very deadly.

If you want to stop abortions, you have to work as hard as possible on stopping the underlying causes of them.

-Drachasor