Debate Impressions

. . . from someone who couldn't stand to watch the whole thing:

Kerry:

Facile speaker, fluent, a voice with rich tones but with nothing of his own to say. Gives the impression of trying to say precisely what his focus groups have told him most people want to hear on each topic. The archetypal empty suit.

Enough already about what Bush should've done and he would've done. Much of what he says is correct. Much of it Bush would probably agree with if he were allowed to say so. But this election is about who's to be president in 2004-2008 not 2000-2004. What happens next is what needs to be elaborated. By the way vowing "to hasten the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and speed its reconstruction by drawing the nation's estranged allies together at an international summit he would convene as president" is not a plan; it's an hallucination.

Bush:

Very poor speaker, which I'm sure surprises no one. Voice is too high pitched, full of verbal pauses, hesitations, and phrasings that are not quite right. I find it kind of endearing. It comes across as sincerity. The smooth-as-a-chocolate-milkshake Kerry comes across as hollow. (Not to say empty calories, to continue the metaphor.) But George has got to find someone to help him drop the smirk; it is really annoying.

And I have the same complaint that I had with Kerry: what happens now? Staying the course and being resolute isn't a plan. It assumes a plan but it isn't one itself. And don't tell me democratizing Iraq is a plan. At best it's a goal; at worst it's a fantasy.

But then I didn't watch it all. Maybe all the best bits were on last. In any event, I taped the Angel game that morning and watched that instead. They lost. Those two guys running for president isn't bad enough; I also have to worry about starting pitchers who were already having trouble and now seem to be collapsing in their new four man rotation.

[For a less flippant and much more incisive view of the presidential proceedings last night, visit here and continue reading into the first four paragraphs of Friday's entry.]