Debate Reaction -- Boy, That Was Quick



From tomorrow's Washington Post:

"Tomorrow's [Tuesday's] vice presidential debate, which both campaigns once presumed would be a sideshow to the presidential race, has assumed critical importance, with Republicans depending on Vice President Cheney to halt the ticket's slide in momentum.

After what Republicans acknowledge was President Bush's faltering performance in his televised encounter with Democratic nominee John F. Kerry, GOP strategists said Cheney's aim is to return public attention to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the administration's broader handling of the terrorism threat and away from what they called a "second-guessing" debate over the decision to invade Iraq. "

As I have said before, this election is similar to 1980 in that the electorate is looking for an alternative, and the only real question is whether the challenger can present himself as a plausible alternative. The big news out of Thusday's debate was not that Bush looked terrible (although he did), it was that Kerry looked so good. You can see Kerry as president -- and voters looking for change now have a safe place to go.

In 90 minutes, the Kerry campaign recovered almost all the ground lost in August and September.

Game on.

Posted: Sun - October 3, 2004 at 10:19 PM        

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