Objective View on Presidential Debate

Canadian conservative political junkie, offers own spin on the first Presidential debate between Bush and Kerry—neither scored a knockout, but Kerry scored more points in the end. There was no blood on the mat but Kerry won the bout by several points for substance, style and bearing. He needed to look “Presidential” and succeeded. His team clearly had a goal to ensure that the public saw there was in fact an alternative, which is what the Bush campaign have been fighting very hard to deny Kerry’s team. Life just got a little tougher for the Bush-Cheney camp as a result.

In peacetime, it might be a tipping point, but my guess is that there is still abundant fear among the public which the spin doctors can and will tap into to help diffuse this new challenge to the Republican approach.

The President more or less just showed up at the debate and repeated his campaign’s current mantra (Kerry sends mixed messages, the reality of which is debatable). Being the incumbent, perhaps that’s all Bush needed to do, however my guess is that Kerry’s team will be far happier behind closed doors than Bush’s team.

Having been behind those types of closed doors, I know full well that the Bush spin machine will be turned up to high speed to try to nullify the gain the Kerry campaign made today.

Unlike other Presidential elections, I bet more viewers tune into the subsequent debates than less. This is still a real race.