Presidential Debate

Debate - Round 1

George 'Why-Me' Bush vs John 'F' Kerry a.k.a. JFK

Time: 90 minutes
Refree: Jim Lehrer
Venue: Miami Square Garden
Verdict: Draw

The match-up (debate) turned out to be quite a let-down as both prize fighters stood in their respective corners and continued to shadow-box without really confronting the other speaker except for a few threatening gestures. Kerry proved to more aggressive taking a few jabs, but did it with such delicate footwork that average Joe Americano would not notice.

Bush constantly appeared to be forgetting his practiced attacks (umm: lines) and then said to himself, "What the heck!, I have this super-under cut' and mentioned over and over again that, Kerry was flip-flopper and was not fit to lead the country since he felt that 'Iraq was a wrong war, at a wrong place at the wrong time.' During rebuttals, for 80 seconds Bushie gave answers that were totally irrelevant and then always seemed to remember his rehearsed sound bites in last 10. 'I will make America safer and Saddam Hussein was a great danger'. No wonder the crowd still loves him, cause he is so human and cute. Today, Daddy did not have to help him.

Kerry looked very polished but sleepy. Did not effectively defend himself from the flip-flopper charge. All he said was, ' I have a plan and I can do it better and I can do it right'. Not making clear what he planned to do and how exactly he was going to do it, and if the plans were practical or not. The pseudo-JFK made frequent references to the original JFK's shorts he was wearing trying to get some mileage. Clinton does not seem to be the flavour of the month. He made strong opening statements and more sensible remarks than the opponent for 60 seconds, then faded off. He appeared contradictory without really doing so. That's vintage Kerry.

Swingers: Both candidates referred to North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri and Ohio, all prominent swing states and stories of the people in those states. They don't travel anywhere else, do they?

Super Punch:
Was delivered by none of the candidates but by the referee, Jim Lehrer when he knocked them both with the question, ' Why have none of you in any speech commented on the genocide in Darfur, Sudan?' Both were knocked out silly with this question, squirmed and then muttered something, which shows that during an election, 'If the voters don't think it's an issue, you don't too!'. Which shows what the campaigns have been one big mud-slinging match. Just about winning an election race and not about leadership or statemanship or genuineness.

My apologies for watching the debate on FOX. I had no option, since the reception of this Reagan-era TV was bad on all other channels.