WP: Election May Hinge On Debates

[kskiska]

Bush, Kerry Bring Different Strengths

Sunday, September 26, 2004; Page A01

For Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), stuck in second place with just five weeks left in the presidential campaign, the debates that begin this week may be the best chance remaining to close the sale with voters and beat President Bush.

(snip)

"They call them debates, but they're not debates," said Republican debate coach Sheila Tate. "They're platforms for the two candidates to position themselves" for an audience of undecided voters who, research shows, tend to rely on their gut, Tate said.

Elaborate rules, negotiated by the rival campaigns, guarantee that the sessions are more side by side than head to head; direct engagement is limited. What matters most is not which candidate dominates the room but which one comes across most powerfully, in planned and unplanned stylistic ways, on television. And as the late, legendary BBC interviewer Robin Day once explained, television "strikes at the emotions rather than the intellect."

(snip)

Bush matches these signals to a speaking style no professional debate coach would ever approve. Judging from the evidence, it works for him. According to friends and advisers, Bush has a West Texas conviction that people who talk fancy are not to be trusted. So, they say, he tries to project steadfastness and sincerity by using short, simple declarative sentences and a lot of one- and two-syllable words.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50257-2004Sep25.html

[soothsayer]

1. I've said this all along.

So there!

[cidliz2004]

2. Duh!

[sally343434]

3. "stuck in second place"

Right off the bat, journalistic style goes out the window.

[0007]

10. The media has stenographers. No journalists!

[Voltaire99]

4. I'm afraid the debates will sink Kerry once and for all

Simple reason: Bush plays better to unthinking dolts.

TV favors emotionalism. Ask yourself how many thoughtful people need TV to decide how they're going to vote.

There is a small chance--an outside one--that overworked Americans who haven't yet formed an opinion will tune in, catch a soundbite, and say, "Ah, I should vote for Kerry."

But the greater likelihood is that those who will vote have already chosen. And that is a daunting prospect, as this pro-Kerry site shows day after day: www.electoral-vote.com

[auburnblu]

17. That's not too optimistic

As long as Kerry doesn't sigh like Gore he should be fine. Kerry really has to show that he can relate to the average gal/guy out there. Gore just never did that. Kerry really has a chance to define himself here in a positive way. He should refrain from acting petty or bitter and just be positive and sell the country that his vision will lead to better days. Kerry can highlight Bush failures, but say how he'll improve things instead of just bashing Bush. Let Bush be negative.

[drfemoe]

5. The Election

probably hinges on BBV. Let's hope not.

[shockingelk]

6. This is a great essay

Best I've seen on the debates. Odd that it appeared on page 1, it contains no news, but just the authors take on the debates.

Fertile soil for speculation on what we might see though.

[Hello_Kitty]

7. God damn media fucking lapdogs!

"According to friends and advisers, Bush has a West Texas conviction that people who talk fancy are not to be trusted."

BUSH IS NOT FROM WEST TEXAS! HE IS FROM FUCKING NEW ENGLAND WITH A SILVER COKE SPOON UP HIS PAMPERED PIMPLY ASS!! THE ACCENT, THE RANCH, THE SWAGGER ARE ALL FAKE!! GOT IT! FAKE - AS IN MADE UP, PHONY, FAUX....FAKE!!! ARRGH!!!

Of course the asslicks love to push the Texas thing but always forget to point out the falseness of it. He uses short, simple, declarative sentences because he's dumb.

Why the fuck aren't people from Texas INSULTED when they spew this crap?

[JusticeForAll]

8. Texas

I know W* was born in New England, but he effectively grew up in Texas (at least as far as I read in Fortunate Son). I don't understand why Dems continue to accuse him of this being false. Is what I have read wrong?

Please note, I believe he is completely Texan, but he is all hat and no cowboy.

J4A

[Hello_Kitty]

12. He moved to Texas as a teen

Attended exclusive Andover HS and then off to college at Yale. So his formative years were not spent, for the most part, in Texas. The accent is fake. Notice how it tends to get much stronger when he's speaking in the South? Also none of his younger siblings have the accent. What kind of freak uses a phony accent?

[0007]

14. Now that's a real slam on the native Texan

junior never went to school in Texas.

junior never had a worth while job in Texas.

junior only married a real Texan. I don't know anything genuine with junior except having a well connected daddy.

Sorry you don't understand a mess when you see one!

[Piperay]

9. We are screwed then

because the media is going to declare chimp the winner as long as he remains upright and doesn't pee his pants. x(

[JusticeForAll]

13. JH Hatfield disagrees (even tho he's dead now...)

Apparently his family moved to Texas when he was two according to Fortunate Son.

Sorry to dwell on this but I am very curious for the truth - you have a source for your claim?

[Piperay]

16. Only source is

past experience. The media give low expectations of chimp or any repug before the debate then when they don't drool they say they how great they were. This happened here in CA with Arnold and in 2000 between chimp & Gore. Much of the voting public either doesn't watch the debate or lets the media influence them into believing the repug was much much better. I expect the same thing this time. :-(

[tom_paine]

11. This is more Pravda: The debates won't matter

The Totalitarian Media "coverage" will be the same and WORSE than in 2000.

Kerry can run circles around Fearless Fuhrer in the debates and it won't matter. Only the relative handful of people will actually see it. And afterwards, Corporate TV Pravda will pean with glory to the Fearless Fuhrer and his unquestionable "victory" in the debates.

Which is what all will then believe, except the few Free Americans remaining in this nation of Good Germans.

Totalitarianism is as predictable as it always has been.

[robbedvoter]

15. Translation: "our spin on debates will be important - listen & obey"

Whenever the media whores say something is important, rest assured it's been rigged for their boy. We already know about the 30 pages agreement making sure he won't have to be faced with anything harder than supine media. Their hyping this tells me they also figured how to ridicule/tarr/diminish Kerry - NO MATTER HOW HE DOES!
It may be news to you, but GORE NEVER DID SIGH - this was a myth they created in 24h after debates. Expect the worst!

[auburnblu]

18. Did you watch the debates?

Duh, I sure did and yes he sighed and it played right into the, "I know it all" image the media was constantly pushing about Gore. Denying it makes someone on here look like Dan Rather pushing the memos 5 days after everyone else is running away from them.

[tedoll78]

19. does anyone do this when watching the debates?

I can't sit down. I pace. For the entire debate.

I cheer when our guy says something particularly good.
I wince when our guy omits something or misphrases something.
I boo when the other guy says something particularly outrageous.

And the thing is, I have that "nervous bladder" feeling the entire time - even though my bladder is ENTIRELY EMPTY!

Maybe a shot or two of whiskey would calm me down a bit? Naaah..

[Disturbed]

20. Style over substance.

It's the image that matters most. Also, which one can have a phrase that will echo; a sound byte that the Media will repeat ad nauseum.

We now know that most of the Media is Right Wing and backs the Neo Fascists. Expecting TV to help Dems is a pipedream.