IMHO Kerry is already completely surpassing Gore as a campaigner.

[AngryYoungMan]

Watching him last night I felt very reassured. I also felt like I'm coming out of a "Gore trance" wherein I'd convinced myself that Gore "did a good job" etc.

I know Gore won the vote. And Gore had some great lines ("people vs. powerful" etc) but Kerry is showing how they should have been delivered.

When Gore got up in the first debate and said three times that 99% of Bush's tax cuts would go to the top 1% (THREE TIMES, based on BUSH'S OWN PUBLISHED PLAN) and then Bush said "He's usin' fuzzy math" and somehow was understood to have won the round, that's what I'm talking about. I can't see Kerry possibly fumbling that exchange. Can you?

My $0.02

[arewethereyet]

1. thats a pretty low bar to surpass

Gore was, to be kind, not very good.

[mike_c]

5. beat me to it....

...Al Gore was a snooze on the campaign.

[Not Me]

6. You think so??

I was pretty impressed with the way he redirected the interviewers' (this really wasn't a debate) away from the gay issues once he felt he had answered it sufficiently. I am kind of hoping that he is able to continue to do that to keep the focus where *he* wants it, not Rove and Co.

[arewethereyet]

13. Kerry is OK, Gore was terrible.

Edwards is unsurpassed

[MoonRiver]

17. Kerry is great, Gore was OK, and Edwards is a BORE.

:boring:

[belle]

16. Gore has improved since 2000, i think.

[David Dunham]

2. I agree!!

[janx]

3. I'm sorry. Kerry puts me to sleep. Gore never did that.

I don't know if it's Kerry's long windedness or what, but the guy makes me want to go to sleep.

If Gore was "wooden," Kerry is plastic.

[arewethereyet]

7. thats a terrific analagy

and we could certin;y use someone who is vibrant. Edwards springs to mind...

[seaglass]

15. That's probably why you never heard Kerry talking about

balanced budgets, you weren't paying attention.

[emulatorloo]

20. I think it is because you won't even give him a chance

I am not trying to be mean, but it just seems to me that you won't give him a chance. He could stand on top of a purple donkey juggling knives and he would still just put you to sleep.

Are you sticking your fingers in your ears whenever he comes on tv? Going "LA LA LA LA LA" to drown him out? If he does a rally near you, go. You will see your reaction is not the norm.

You seem like a very reasonable person, but just really happy with your boredom w Kerry.

respectfully, thanks!

[mot78]

4. The problem was that we underestimated *

The whore media purposely played down his expectations, so he ended up "winning" th debates evben though his performance was sub-par.

[arewethereyet]

9. Please. Gore was a terrible campaigner

he didn't even deliver his home county. He squandered a huge advantage. Nice guy but I cannot imagine how he ever won an election.

[WitchWay]

8. And into a Kerry Trance

I'd like to see a REAL debate between Kerry and Kucinich. you know - a real old fashioned sort of debate. Now THAT would be interesting AND informative.

Too bad that the corporate media won't allow it, just like the didn't Allow Dean a chance, either. Gore supported Dean, by the way.

To someone who really knows the issues, and can read what Kerry is "really" saying (like his corporate giveaway health care plan) -- all of the sudden, Kerry doesn't sound very reassuring.

[KC21304]

12. And where did you hear what Kerry is " really " saying ?

I bet I know, you taped it and ran it backwards.

And Gore supported Dean ? Get otta here !

[WitchWay]

19. Yeah....I taped it and ran it backwards.

You need to pay better attention to the news articles that the corporate media let dissapear into the ephemeral void of supressed information:

Yes. Gore endorsed Dean:
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/09/elec04.prez.gore.dean/

Trying to read into carefully worded legal rhetoric is far from engaging in a conspiracy theory. It's called being smart. They don't call it politics for nothin. A candidate may try to sound "presidential" but that shouldn't excuse what they are saying.

Go read the transcript about Kerry's Health Care proposal for interest, and do the math. Listen to how he doesn't regret his IWR vote. Note how he responds Kucinich's question about the 40,000 troops that Kerry wants to build in his first 100 days in office (but, read the article below). This doesn't sound like someone preparing for a pullout plan in Iraq and worldwide imperalism to me.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/02/28/DEMOCRATS.TMP

[Clark4Prez]

10. He's got the Clinton fire that befuddled GHWB

Kerry is keeping * on his heels and making him dance to Kerry's tune. That's the way to beat Dubya, force him off message and deal with the questions. His MTP appearance was a shining example of the low expectations thing blowing up all over him.

He is the President afterall and people want leadership and a feeling the guy you are trusting with all that power is wise, we know that Dubya isn't and America is finding out.

If Kerry keeps up this sort of campaign, he should win by a good margin and we can have our country back.

[littlejoe]

11. No two ways about it! Kerry will kick Bush's tush!

[On the Road]

14. "I can't see Kerry possibly fumbling that exchange. Can you?"

No, I think Kerry would trounce Bush in a debate. Just like Al Gore did.

And then the TV and radio headlines next morning would be: "BUSH BEATS KERRY IN DEBATE!"

[Leilani]

18. But the Press may be different this time

In 2000, the press was charmed by Shrub; they all had nicknames, etc.

Now the press knows he lies, he's secretive, he can be nasty & vindictive. I don't know that they're charmed anymore.