How Crucial Are Tonight's Debate?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

As I see it * has a lead of around four to six points. This lead is not insurmountable... It's akin to a football team being down 17-10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter...


Kerry needs a decisive win in tonight's debate.... A loss will be devastating and ultimately fatal... A tie will maintain the status quo which is a small * lead...


How crucial do you think tonight's debate are...

[mhr]

1. Make Or Break - This Is The Whole Enchilada!

eom

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. We Can't Afford A Dukakis Moment....

When Bernie asked the Duke if he supported the death penalty for his wife's fictional rapist and murderer he should have said he would rip the killer's heart out and show it to him before he died...


Papa Bush would have soiled himself...

[liberalmuse]

3. This is it.

Why? Because we shall get an indication of either how brain-washed and ignorant the masses are, or if there is just enough common sense and discernment among the population to oust the MoFo.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. I Agree....

Kerry needs a "win" tonight...

There is no substitute for victory...

[demokatgurrl]

9. I thnk we already KNOW

how brainwashed the sheeple are. Sad but true.

[patricia92243]

5. The debates are the one and only time that non-political types watch

anything political. They make their decision of who to vote for based on the pundits decision of who "won". They are the swing voters and will decides the election.

Phrases like "there you go again" (Reagan) determine who is the next President of the US - kinda sad, isn't it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. The 00 Debates Were An Aberration

but I think the public picked the right winner in the 60, 76, 80, 84, 88, and 92 debates...


Don't forget the winner of the debate doesn't always go on to win the election as in 1984....


Even Reagan's most stalwart supporters admit Mondale won the first debate and battled Reagan to a draw in the second...

[demokatgurrl]

10. So maybe it's the LAST debate that counts? n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. If Anybody Is Still Watching (nt)

[louis c]

6. This is Kerry's chance

to change the image that many Americans have of him, that was created by Karl Rove.

Rove is an Evil Genius. Just look what he has done with a wimpish, coward, moron, drug addicted, piece of shit.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Rove Is A Genius....

He turned a hero into a girly man and a girly man into a hero. What do you think the "orange" glow is about?


Or maybe Rove isn't a genius and Americans are the most superficial people on the planet...

[Mike L]

12. Both

The average voter is superficial and Rove is a genius at manipulating them.

[Go Eagles]

13. a genius but overrated

Rove’s genius is staying away from issues, ruthlessly smearing and slandering an opponent to work the lowest common denominator and being smart enough to keep Shrub’s fingers off of the dirty tricks. Rove is over rated and it surprises me how unprepared Kerry’s campaign was to counter Rove’s attacks to define him. Rove and shrub would be mopped up if they ever had to face Clinton and Carville.

[Mike L]

17. I thought the same thing. Hell, I could have anticipated Rove's attacks

and preempted them. I would have driven Bush into the ground on Iraq and it's deleterious effect on the real WOT before Bush's convention. Kerry is now using the same words I've been posting on a neutral website's Politics Forum ever since the invasion.

But, we had no better option than Kerry. Edwards was for the war, so he couldn't have done the job. Dean couldn't control his temper. Clark is no politician. We must play the cards we're dealt.

[louis c]

14. If Rove

recognized that most of the American people are superficial and simple minded before we did, considering what's at stake, he is an Evil Genius.

[democracy eh]

15. it may have no impact whatsoever

but a good performance will seal it for Kerry, and increase interest in future debates

a bad performance will give Bush the momentum to coast, and make the future debates irrelevant

at the same time how can you call it a debate when they can't address each other?

[liberal N proud]

16. If they were debates in the real sense, they might have some

meaning and consequence.
But all they are is pre-scripted rhetoric from the candidates that will be spun for shrub by the "LIBERAL" media.
No Meaning what-so-ever.

[Leilani]

18. I really think it is crucial.

Many people are very unhappy with Bush, but aren t convinced about Kerry. If Kerry wins this debate, I think he wins the election. If he loses this debate, I don t think he will be able to recover.

Also, the first debate always has the highest viewing audience, & foreign policy has become the main issue of the campaign. Therefore it will be hard to count on later debates to make up for a loss tonight.