Yellow Dog

According to post-debate polls, Bush is still winless in the presidential debates.
Gallup: Kerry 47% Bush 45%
ABC: Kerry 44% Bush 41%

From my perspective, Kerry was superb from start to finish.




The top three most most indecipherable responses by Bush:

1. On Iraq... "I wasn't happy when we found out there wasn't weapons." (Really? I'll bet our troops sweating it out in their chemical suits were happy that the inspections had worked.)
   
2. On the environment... "What happens in those forests, because of lousy federal policy, is they grow to be -- they are not -- they're not harvested. (Right, they aren't harvested. That's why they're called "forests.")
   
3. On Supreme Court Nominations... "The Constitution of the United States says we're all -- (pause) -- you know, it doesn't say that. It doesn't speak to the equality of America." (I assume he was going with the "All men are created equal" line which is from the Declaration of Independence, not the U.S. Constitution)

It seems Bush is a tad touchy about the mighty Iraq coalition. During one exchange, as described in this cnn article, Bush had a near meltdown:

After Kerry accused him of going alone into Iraq, Bush interrupted the moderator, ABC's Charles Gibson, to demand that Kerry ask the British or Italian prime ministers if their participation was nonexistent.

Here's the video of that exchange.


With reality and the facts being on Kerry's side, Bush doesn't stand a chance in these debates. Of course, Bush doesn't need facts. He just makes stuff up, like when he proudly proclaimed, "Non-homeland, non-defense discretionary spending was raising at 15 percent a year when I got into office. And today it's less than 1 percent, because we're working together to try to bring this deficit under control."

Facts:
Nixon/Ford: 6.8% per year
Jimmy Carter: 2.0% per year
Ron Reagan: -1.3% per year
George H.W. Bush: 4.0% per year
Bill Clinton: 2.5% per year
George W. Bush: 8.2% per year

Kerry goes for the sweep in the third and final debate next Wednesday.

The Duelfer Iraq Survey Group Report delivered yesterday contradicts the Bush Administration's pre-war claims. At this point, this isn't much of a surprise. Still, just to clarify what the "Almost All" part of that headline means...

ALL WRONG:
George W. Bush State of the Union Address, January 28, 2003:

• 25,000 liters of anthrax


• 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin


• 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent


• 29,984 munitions capable of delivering chemical agents


• mobile biological weapons labs


• advanced nuclear weapons development program


• Uranium from Africa

ALL RIGHT:
Tens of millions around the world (a focus group!) on February 15, 2003.

STILL ALL WRONG:
In direct contradiction to yesterday's Duelfer report, George W. Bush still claims today that Saddam had the "means and intent" to develop weapons. "...after Sept. 11, that was a risk we could not afford to take."

Sure, whatever you say, George.

Cheney, debating within an alternate reality, completes his transformation to heartless cartoon character.

CHENEY (a.k.a. Mr. Burns): It's ironic, this anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you.

EDWARDS: You are noble and poetic in defeat, sir.

Here's a quick recap of a perfect weekend trip north to two swing states.

1. Friday, October 1, 5:45 pm: John Edwards Rally in Erie, PA. Great crowd of about 7,000 Kerry-Edwards supporters gathered along the lakefront listening to the future VP.



2. Later Friday night at about 8:00: Vote For Change Concert with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and Keb' Mo' at the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Erie.



3. Saturday, October 2, 8:00: Vote for Change Concert with Bright Eyes, REM, John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen at Gund Arena in Cleveland.



The Springsteen/REM concert-goers were obviously a pro-Kerry crowd, sporting plenty of Kerry-Edwards T-shirts, buttons and caps, some "Steelworkers for Kerry" shirts (and a few other creative no-bush slogans). Neither concert was overly partisan or particularly anti-Republican or Bush-bashing... well, maybe there was a little, but mostly it was just great music with a few short public service announcements about the importance of the upcoming election.

Here's what Bruce Springsteen had to say:

We remain a land of great promise. But, we need to move America move towards a fulfillment of these promises that she's made to her citizens: economic justice, civil rights, protection of the environment, respect for others and humility in exercising our power at home and around the world. These core issues of American identity are what's at stake on November 2nd. I believe that Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards understand these important issues, and I think they're prepared to help our country move forward. America is not always right. That's a fairy tale that you tell your children at night before they go to sleep. But America is always true. And it's in seeking these truths that we find a deeper patriotism. Don't settle for anything less. Remember, the country we carry in our hearts is waiting.

Springsteen Setlist:
Bad Day (with REM)
Man on the Moon (with REM)
The Star-Spangled Banner
Born in the U.S.A.
Badlands
No Surrender
Lonesome Day
The River
Johnny 99
Youngstown
Centerfield (with Fogerty)
Deja Vu All Over Again (with Fogerty)
Fortunate Son (with Fogerty)
The Promised Land (with Fogerty)
The Rising
Because the Night (with Stipe)
Mary's Place
Born to Run (with Mills and Buck)
Bad Moon Rising (with Fogerty)
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding (with all)
People Have the Power (with all)

One final note. The bumper sticker count driving through Ohio from Cleveland through Cincinnati went 14 for Kerry, and only 8 for Bush. (A very good sign that Kerry has a strong edge among voters willing to damage their car paint.)

New Fox News Slogans:
"We report fabricated news. You decide."
"Fair and balanced--if you're a Republican."

The New York Times > Washington > Campaign 2004 > Fabricated Kerry Posting Leads to Apology from Fox News