Bush did a lot better in this debate, Kerry did win several points, but Stem Cell research, abortion, fiscal policy, and the War in Iraq, Bush was able to be strong and agressive. He was a totally different Bush, the Bush I wanted to see in the first debate finally took place here. He truly looked like the Commander in Chief!

Kerry befuddling his answers aside, Bush was extremely energtic and awake, with clear, concise answers that people could understand. Both were on the attack, but I have to think Kerry just repeated himself in a very negative fashion while Bush actually connected in a way his supporters were hoping for.

McAwful is just furiously backfilling on Fox just now, actually trying to convince us this was a Home Run for Kerry. Making petty little critiques, like "he said internets when it's internet" - Oh, pulleez. Also went ballistic over Bush interrupting Gibson once to respond to a really cheap shot by Kerry (interestingly, can't remember what it was about!) - "Bush lost it, he was out of control! Not very Presidential." What a crock.

At worst, Bush demonstrated his ability to debate Kerry to a draw. In most respects, the issues fall to Bush's favor. At best. a strong argument can be made he won.

Cheers,
Daiwa

Draginol... It was the 2nd debate.

The most striking thing for me was whenever Kerry was asked what would he do about a particular situation or about his particular plans, he spent most of his time telling what he thought the president did wrong, with very little, if any, actual answer about what he would do.

And I would have thought he would stop claiming to be able to bring his coalition of 3 in to help in Iraq, since now most of them are saying they would not send troops no matter who was elected. By now, he has to know how hollow those statements sound.

Well at least bush showed up this time.....

I was totally impressd with Bush. He will be our next president. I have no doubt.

As rare as it is, I have to agree with CrispE on the mistakes question. That was a golden opportunity for Bush to show some humanity, and instead he opted not to give Kerry any ammunition. I think the points he would have scored with viewers would have outweighed how the answer would have been used against him.

I dunno, Baker -

Answering that kind of loaded rhetorical question is a lose-lose proposition for Bush and I'm a little surprised Gibson chose it, prejudicial as it is. After watching McAwful go nuclear over "internets" I have no doubt the Kerryites would have been all over any admission of error like flies on s**t. I thought he finessed it much better this time than he did at that news conference. As it is, they'll still trash him for not admitting to making big mistakes. And no similar gotcha question was tossed at Kerry.

Cheers,
Daiwa

I've seen polls that show Kerry as a winner and polls that show a tie. None that show Bush won. The only thing Bush had going for him was that he was actually able to speak this time. Kerry made some great points. I think it will end up being a tie, but I thought Kerry got the best of Bush again.

Sorry, WiseFawn -

The steam has been let out of the media steamroller. You could just feel the mainstream leftist press coming out of their depression after the first debate and they've been furiously trying to make that 90 minutes mean more than Kerry's 20 year record, not to mention his current campaign, ever since. They still believe perception is everything, so last night's debate was not good for them. I think they will ultimately be disappointed.

Cheers,
Daiwa

Daiwa:

I think the point of the person who asked the question was to see if the President felt he could grow or was really stagnant at Kerry contends ("more of the same"). It is not a weakness with me or many others that a person admits they could have done things differently. W seems to think that if you or me were given the same information he was given that we would have made the same decisions he did. This might be true, right? The thing is, we weren't. So the appearance of arrogance is worse (politically) than weakness.

Where I think it will make a difference is with those undecided who have a Christian background and see the first step to redemption as repentance and acceptance of a person't sin. Please understand, I am not saying this as right or wrong, simply that such a perception is common among some in the church. This was actually mentioned in a Bible study this morning and Mr. Bush was criticized for his statement.

Nice Comments Draginol.. If anything it was a tie because both made some dumb ass mistakes. I do not think it won Bush any points nor do I think it won or took away anything for Kerry. It most certainly did not seal the election for Bush. My main issue with Mr Bush is he has not said, look we made some mistakes, I am sorry, or we are sorry anything like that and I would support him in a heart beat. It would show real compassion and I am always touched by REAL compassion.

I am not in agreement with you there Daiwa.. Kerry is not a hateful person and he did not make anyone hate Bush. His policies and the direction of this country is the problem. First, he thinks he was appointed by God to be where he is now. Wrong, if he was he would not know this is clearly a shot to the Christian voters. He has turned the entire world against us and this is my other problem with the guy. His free market no matter what attitude. While all of our patents are being stolen by China, jobs being outsourced by paid incentives out of our pockets, tax cuts to the rich mainly and above all else he is shifting the tax burden from the rich to the middle and lower class folks. If any of these things would change I would support the guy. I see 4 more years of the same old thing. More massive record vacations, more tax cuts, higher debts and a horrible unsafe homeland. How can anyone support this man it just gives me the shivers.

Desert Fox -

I can't say whether Kerry himself is a hateful person or not, but I can see that he is a political opportunist more than willing to surf the wave of hate created and perpetuated by others. Doesn't seem to bother him at all. And the Bush hating started before Bush even took the oath, so don't try to tell me it's his fault.

Your opinion about what President Bush thinks is also a tad off. He's said what many people of faith have believed and professed for millenia - that (insert deity here) has some sort of unknowable plan, works in ways we cannot understand and leaves it to us to have faith and make decisions and choices as best we can. He's never said (and doesn't believe) he was "appointed by God" - that's just you twisting his words and demostrating the shallowness of your thinking. For what it's worth, I'm pretty much an agnostic - just so you don't dismiss my comment as lockstep dogma. It ain't.

Have you considered the possibility that the "rest of the world" as you call it is wrong? That they don't get it? Personally, I could care less what those ingrates who have been the beneficiaries of the most generous nation in the history of the world might thinks of us. We helped rebuild Europe & Japan, made sure the oppression of the Soviet Union collapsed of its own weight and have come to the aid of countless nations in distress, both economically and militarily. Let 'em start sending the checks back if we're so hated.

And it appears you've not done your homework, content to simply parrot the Democrat party line on all the economic & tax issues that have been raised to demonic status despite objective evidence to the contrary.

Cheers,
Daiwa