I have to be incredibly lazy
I have a crazy schedule today, so I have to start my spin checking this weekend. But I can still drop some stuff on you and simultaneously confirm my credentials as a "Black leftist" (which I think gets the noun-adjective assignment backward but is something to address later) by linking to CBS News.
Experts Rate Debate A Draw
NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2004
By David Paul Kuhn,
CBSNews.com Chief Political WriterThere was no clear winner in Thursday night's first presidential debate, according to interviews with experts across the country.
"It’s more relevant to talk about the winner in terms of expectations," said Shanto Iyengar, a professor of American politics at Stanford University. "Given the fact that this was President Bush’s home turf -- national security and terrorism -- he should have dominated. He didn’t. It’s a positive outcome for Kerry."
Yet winners in debates are determined not in the minutes following, but in the 24 to 48 hours to come.
"Anyone who declares a winner in this debate is a predictable partisan. They both did beautiful," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
"I don't view this as a tie," he continued. "I view this as a superb dual presentation that presented the American people with a clear choice and that's really all you can expect from these television extravaganza."
Experts agreed: both candidates performed well. Kerry was presidential; Mr. Bush had a command of facts. But while no one would declare a winner, all agreed Kerry scored points by standing toe-to-toe with Mr. Bush on foreign policy and national security.
"I thought both guys did extremely well. But that means its good news for Kerry," said Norman Ornstein, a political analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. "Kerry’s over the bar and he’s in the game.
"When you have an incumbent running against a challenger," Ornstein said, "they are looking to see if the other guy can be president." According to Ornstein and other experts, Kerry came off looking presidential.
But, of course, so did President Bush. With 32 days until Election Day, Mr. Bush scored by staying on message. Although visibly perturbed by Kerry’s attacks, Mr. Bush was ardent in arguing that the war in Iraq was worth fighting and that he was the best man to lead us in that fight.
Now, the cool thing about this page is the links to the streaming video of select chunks of the debate and analysis thereof. Their Politics video page has what looks like all of it in nice labeled pieces. This is ideal for spin checking.
But to work out your own personal spin, C-Span is the place. They have the debate…the WHOLE debate…RealVideo format, on demand, for two weeks following the debate (They will do the same for all the debates, by the way). And just as during the live broadcast, both candidates are visible split-screen style for the duration of the debate.
I think George Bush gets pissy almost immediately. As soon as Kerry started speaking the fidgeting and eye-rolling started. But I'm partisan in oh-so-many ways. That's why you need to see and judge for yourself.
