Bush was blessed in this first round of debates with John Kerry with the limited topics of foreign policy and the war. KPFT was about 2 seconds ahead of local PBS affiliate channel 8. Bush started with a flip flop about how 911 changed how we must look at the world.
According to Dick Cheney and Bush we must not give in to terrorists. One flip. One flop.
An "ideology of hate" is now what the "terrorists" are being accused of according to Bush which I am going to score as a blatant lie and a flip flop because he has repeatedly stated that his administration does not negotiate with terrorists therefore Bush is uninformed of any particular demands. Apparently some of them want coalition forces to leave Iraq.
Bush also said he knows why the enemy fights and said they just show up in foreign countries like Iraq. (Arab nations) I am going to score that as a complete lack of sophistication symptomatic of Texas and Bush's egocentric ignorance of the world.
Kerry confirmed what I reported about Bush wanting to invade Iraq without consulting the UN. I think a lot of people didn't notice that because they were working and could not monitor the live news events taking place at the time. Bush later denied that he attempted to leave the UN out on the Iraq invasion. One lie.
Bush used a Kerry quote about Saddam that was a response to a question and has been repeatedly been used by Bush as some kind of flip flop. An example of how Bush intentionally misleads the public. The statement was about Saddam being a threat. Kerry was responding to the press who were spinning Bush's reasons for going to war. Kerry did not really approve of Bush's rush to war.
Bush accused Iraq of deceiving inspectors. One lie. The chief UN weapons inspector considered the inspections to be effective. Bush made a radically dishonorable decision to rush to war while the inspections and disarmament was still taking place. Bush is the kind of law enforcer that will demand that you to drop your weapon, and then shoot you.
Three times Bush claimed that Kerry had seen the same intelligence. The statement made the intelligence seem like a movie he saw rather than something he read. Others have used the same terminology but coming from Bush it sounds like the dumbing down of the presidency. One that doesn't read books. Bush accused Kerry of flip flopping since then after previously admitting that the intelligence was flawed. Bush seems to be proud of using flawed intelligence and never changing his mind. At the time no intelligent person believed the intelligence that Powell provided to the UN. Each candidate should earn a point for stupidity except that Bush has not admitted that it represents his own mistake so he should receive many points. (5)
BUSH LOOKED MORE SCARED THAN CONFIDENT. My perception that Kerry was winning the debate had more to do with that scared dumb look and the way Bush stuttered when he had to respond to a question than my own personal loathing of Bush.
Kerry pointed out that Bush had lost focus on Osama by invading Iraq. Bush responded by claiming that we were capable of invading two countries at the same time. Bush reminded us that we are a global empire. No lies scored on either side.
Bush claimed to be spending reconstruction money without mentioning what he was spending it on. Bush recently requested that a substantial amount of reconstruction money be spent on security. A misleading statement to cover up the facts that reconstruction of the civic infrastructure of Iraq is not happening despite the vast sums allocated. I will have to give Bush credit for one half lie.
At least one time Bush said others do not understand the WOT, (those who flip flop or disagree) he could not help himself. Albert Kada is has been helping Bush kill some of these bad speaking habits.
Bush did not mention opium trade in Afghanistan. Kerry did. In a debate that is known as a no response. No current discussion of foreign policy is complete without the issue.
I think Bush is afraid of the ideology of seeking and using wisdom.
Kerry slung a little mud. Not too much. Only a little bit at Putin.
Bush said he was doing his duty to provide the funding for the war which is a blatant lie. He repeatedly touts his tax cuts as successful and the federal budget is a mess. Bush has clearly not provided the funding. He is depending on your children to pay for it. one lie point.
Bush also pointed out that he spent three times as much on homeland security after the horse was out of the barn.
Bush did not give a time frame for bringing home troops. He shrugged, struggled to express himself, and then used the phrase "TELL YOU" to explain that they could come home when the job was done.
Kerry pointed out that WMD's could have been dissappearing in Iraq while Bush was defending the oil fields. Another example of military command incompetence on the part of Bush. Major score for Kerry. A point of qualification.
Bush is worried about the "message" Kerry and himself send to troops. Doesn't he have some kind of secure communications system? I expected better from Bush, possibly an effect of too much amphetamine on the campaign trail.
"What will you tell Tony Blair" Bush retorted. I say ask not what Kerry will tell Tony Blair just know that he will comply. God help that poor bastard when the British subjects get through with him.
When Bush was asked about his admitted miscalculation of the situation in Iraq the excuse was a "RAPID VICTORY". Before he could explain what he was talking about he admitted that we are still fighting and it is hard work. I guess this is Bush's idea of creating jobs. a lie point and a flip flop.
Bush says he can be realistic and optimistic. I guess if I were the president I could be realistic and optimistic too. Bush has no reason to be pessimistic. The rest of the world does if Kerry does not win the election. Only an idiot would consider Bush realistic about anything therefore I am going to give Bush a lie point and an ignorance point.
At about 840 the camera showed Kerry taking notes while Bush was speaking.
Bush insisted that we cannot change positions and still win the WOT. His position is this, he must "deal with threats before they materialize and spread liberty". How realistic. A threat isn't really a threat until it materializes. How can you be so oppressive as to stop crime before it happens and spread liberty? two lie points.
At about 845 the camera camera showed Kerry taking notes while Bush was speaking.
Bush said that when he ran for president in 2000 he never thought he would be committing troops. Two lie points. Bush and the GOP claimed to be much more qualified at committing troops than Clinton or Gore. Another stupidity point for expecting not to have to commit troops. Worse than that is the fact that his consituency privately and publicly stated that they expected Bush to attack Iraq in the event he became president. The rest is history.
The most sublime stupidity was about Libya. Thanks Mohammar. What shrewd politics. Libya showed off that they had hidden chemical weapons from US intelligence for a long time. Intelligent persons probably realize that they can produce it again quite easily. Perhaps it was an overnight shipment from Saddam. Bush claimed that this was the success of his foreign policy. half lie.
Bush claimed to want dialog with the DPRK. Lie. Bush has repeatedly declined to have dialog with the DPRK. Kerry told a very accurate story about the events leading up to the current diplomatic crisis with the DPRK. That is what the situation is. Not a nuclear standoff.
Bush lied about having an agreement with the DPRK, there was no agreement. The DPRK has never agreed to an armistice with the US. They demanded that the US not violate their borders and held their territory.
After three attempts, Bush could not really provide and example of Kerry changing his position concerning the war. He does disagree with Bush sometimes. This is what Bush pointed out.
Kerry refered to Bush as president one time and made a check mark on a notepad to vomit.
Nuclear proliferation was the biggest threat to national security, or something to that affect, according to Kerry. Bush probably can't pronounce proliferation. He just says nuclar weponz.
Bush accused Putin of obstructing checks and balances in the Russian Federation. Major hypocrite points.
In his closing statement Bush promised that he would continue to maintain an all volunteer army (the army reserve on active duty and national guard on active duty) and digged deep within himself to actually find a little creativity. He said "May god continue to bless our great land" because Kerry had already said God Bless America.
The Pacifica radio pundits were pitiful in their analysis after the debate. They quickly and unfairly said Kerry was boring. Pacifica is often boring and last nights programing was an insult to the intelligence of the listener sponsors.
And now the tally. Bush clearly won based on total number of lies and flip flops. He also scored better in the areas of ignorance, stupidity, and hypocrisy, but not quite as bad as Pacifica. Kerry told no outright lies that I caught. Please correct me if you can. He also deserves honorable mention for quality, paying attention, not stuttering, being consistant, being diplomatic, and being qualified for military command.
Pacifica was biased against Kerry without providing a realistic reason why. They know how difficult it is to engage in dialog with a right wing god like Bush. Kerry is quite different than Bush.
The debate format was better moderated than most of the ones you will hear on Pacifica. The topics were intentionally limited. When topics are too wide ranging a discussion is usually not productive or informative.
I thought it was a great debate and only a fool would perceive that Kerry did not decisively win in every aspect.
by Albert Kada
from THE AMERICAN BLASPHEMER
Original: ASK NOT WHAT YOU WILL TELL TONY BLAIR