Polls Polls Polls : What really matters is debates

[clonebot]

Remember that the polls before a presidential debate aren't very accurate. Nixon was actually defeating JFK in some polls before they televised their debates. Now those who heard them on the radio probaly thought that nixon sounded like an intelligent, elder statesman - but those who viewed the debates on television (the first televised ones i might add) saw nixon as old, unattractive, and awfully sweaty under the hot stage lights next to a handsome award winning smiling JFK. its argued that it really cost him the election right there..

so we'll see how the polls are after the debate where bush, a guy who needs cue cards just to figure out what order his clothes go on, has to finally answer to his accuser who I'm sure has prepared for every tired by-the-books spin that bush's writers have to offer.

and his phony "voted for tax increases 350 times" and "kery voted for the 87 billion package before he voted against it" and "kerry's wacky decade old 50 cent gas increase that he 'supported' (like that actually means he introduced it and voted on it, whatever.)...

anyways he can't flat out lie like that in front of kerry who knows exactly what he's been doing the last 10 years and what he voted on and what he didn't.

[bluestateguy]

1. What matters is how the debates are covered on the news

The only people who watch the entire debates are people who have already made up their mind. Their minds willnot be changed and they are watching the debates as cheerleaders. Everybody else forms their impressions of the debates from evening news soundbites, workplace watercooler chit-chat and the echo machine. Hence, the 48-72 hours after a debate is critical, as that is when the impressions of the Great American Middle are shaped. Al Gore was just savaged during this period because he did not get the facts exactly correct in regards to a girl in a Florida classroom who did not have a desk on the first day of school. Hence, he was turned into a "liar". It's not a fair process, and the Kerry people better be ready for it.

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. We need a return to REAL debates

Not this pre-scripted bullshit where Junior can read from a teleprompter and never actually answer a question, and still have the media whores declare him the "winner". I watched the 2000 debates with a whole house full of people and we were collectively in shock that anyone could actually think the Chimp "won" those.

As for the Uncle Dick vs Holy Joe debate? Geezus...I thought I was watching 2 old farts getting drunk at the Elks club or something :eyes:

[Nicholas_J]

3. They are not likely to occur

If you notice lately, they are sending out Cheney to attack Bush as Bush would be ground into little bits in a denbate with Kerrey.