Temper Temper, Mr. President!

Pundits agree: BUSH WAS ANGRY!

(Media Observations still compiling from the Diaries of Kos)

Andrew Sullivan: "There were moments early on... when he seemed to me to be close to shouting; and his hyper-aggressiveness, having to respond to everything, went at times over the line of persuasiveness."

Ron Forunier, AP: "As he fought to keep his emotions in check in a testy, personal debate with Sen. John Kerry, the president asserted 'That answer almost made me scowl.'... Several answers brought Bush's emotions to the surface, for better or worse, as he sought to curb Kerry's momentum.... Bush was the most aggressive, at one point overrunning moderator Charles Gibson's attempt to pose a question.."

David Niven, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton (from the ABC article):"Bush seemed wound a bit too tight. He was a little like Nixon sort of jumping out of his suit... He looked bad on the TV close-ups.""

Jonah Goldberg, National Review: "WHY DOES BUSH... Sound like he's angry at the guy asking about making drugs cheaper? "

Paul Begala, CNN: "Good debate. The press will say it's a draw, but I think Kerry bested Bush -- or rather Bush made a few errors. Two words for President Bush: anger management. He spent much of the debate nearly yelling at the audience."

John Whitesides, Reuters: "An angry Bush at one point cut off moderator Charles Gibson to upbraid Kerry for criticising the size of the coalition backing the United States in Iraq, saying it denigrated allies like Britain and Poland."

Beth Gorham, CBC News: "It all added up to a major challenge for the president, who appeared angry and defensive during attacks from Kerry in a tense sparring match on Sept. 30 that was watched by some 62 million Americans."

David Paul Kuhn, CBSNews.com: "BUSH MAD, KERRY COMPOSED... Though Mr. Bush was more composed than in last week's first presidential debate, all agreed his tone was sometimes antagonistic and he again appeared uncomfortable being challenged. Kerry, on the other hand, was viewed as measured and articulate. " ---

For your viewing pleasure: bushflipsout.wmv

Goldberg though, the conservative editor of National Review has to be my favorite, hands down...

"WHY DOES BUSH... Sound like he's angry at the guy asking about making drugs cheaper?"

I seriously have no idea either.




[edit on 9-10-2004 by RANT]

Nice post Rant. He comes across like someone who just got caught cheating on his/her spouse and is getting defensive when asked "where were you?" "Why do you smell like perfume?"

I'm not a debater, so I don't know if he violated any of the debate rules there, but Go President Bush!
I was watching the debate, and was glad to see him do that.

I also liked the comment about seeing on the "internets" that there was going to be a draft. lol

Originally posted by MrDead
I was watching the debate, and was glad to see him do that.

You know, I think the Kerry camp agrees with you on this one .

Perhaps the internet was also his source of intelligence on Iraqi WMD. But to me the fact that he gets this way under pressure is not good. I'd have performance anxiety too if I had his skills... or lack of them as he does.

I hate to be the only republican line of defence in this thread but...

Still however you may make Bush to appear angry, confused, or whatever, he still debated admirably. His mannerisms may be a little off to some, but that's the way he talks and acts and expresses himself. It doesn't mean he's stupid. (I know, there's a million websites that you can post to the contrary) Now I've said before I'm not big on politics, but for me, the common Joe, that's probably how I'd act too. I like his blunt style.

Anyway, politics just ain't my cup of meat, so I'm steering away from this til the heavy hitters can catch wind hehe

Originally posted by MrDead
I hate to be the only republican line of defence in this thread but...

Still however you may make Bush to appear angry, confused, or whatever, he still debated admirably.

There's really nothing to defend here. Bush did come off as having serious problems controlling his temper and the only one making it 'appear' that way was Dubya himself .

I guess that is a matter of opinion.
I'd have some major frustration debating Frankenstein's monster.
I didn't see any temper control problems to be honest.

Liberals, liberals, liberals. Where do you get that Bush lost his temper? He never raised his voice any louder than Kerry's!

The liberal media will stoop to anything to get a vote! I got one thing to say to them! Get a life and suck it up! Cry babies! Wah! Wah! Wah!

I'll admit that Bush seemed to get irritated at Kerry once or twice, but why shouldn't he? Kerry will stand there and just spew red-faced lies upon lies and then cover them up with lies on top of other lies.

Kerry. What a waste! And all his followers too!


[edit on 9/10/04 by Intelearthling]

Yeah, he lost it a bit...especially on that one rebuttal, he literally shouted at the moderator, hehe....

To be fair though, he did do MUCH better at appearing to not be a space cadet...or a doe in headlights, hehe....

It seemed that his ONLY line of attack throughout the night was attacking Kerry's and Edwards' attendance record, and tossing around of the word "liberal" way too much. The average voter doesn't give a damn about such labels...

He did TRY to use logic at least...Kerry's was simply better. At least Bush didn't get trounced near as much as in the last one... But nothing can change facts....

We went to war for a stated reason, a reason that later proved false, therefore the war was based on a lie.

We had a budget surplus at the beginning of Bush's term, we are now at a huge deficit, the biggest such turnaround in our nation's history. And yet he attacks Kerry as a big spender?

Bush's plan to win the peace ISN'T working...a look at any evening's news will confirm this.

Bush claims to have made the world safer, yet we are now looking at TWO new nuclear powers during his term, BOTH of whom are on his "Axis of Evil" list.....

You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd...

Isn't this just a simple question and answer session rather than a debate?

A chance to put across their party line rather than discuss any reasoning behind their stance on various subjects.

The response of "The liberal media will stoop to anything to get a vote! I got one thing to say to them! Get a life and suck it up! Cry babies! Wah! Wah! Wah! " sounds like someone is a littler bitter that they lost another debate.

BTW.. just so you know.. your man Bush is a massive liberal. I am talking the level of FDR liberal.

Isn't this just a simple question and answer session rather than a debate?

No, they were allowed rebuttals to their opponent's answer, therefore it was a debate...

I totally agree that Kerry won the 2nd 'debate'.

Bush clearly has a problem talking out loud and what on earth is going on with his face when he isn't talking? The guy is clearly attempting to maintain a - patently false - 'look' of calm.

I must admit I find all the talk about 'followers' pretty strange and I've noticed it seems to come from 'Bush followers' mainly. They seem to project the way they see 'their man' at anyone who doesn't agree with him/them. Strange people these Bush worshippers
(particularly if that's the 'Bush' you 'worship'!).



[edit on 9-10-2004 by sminkeypinkey]

Originally posted by Indy
Perhaps the internet was also his source of intelligence on Iraqi WMD.

But to me the fact that he gets this way under pressure is not good. I'd have performance anxiety too if I had his skills... or lack of them as he does.

I shudder to imagine what it must be like to be in the same meeting with him where he can fully voice and impose his so-called convictions on those who must then go out and act on them.

I particularly like the "Weapon of Mass Deception" comment by Kerry regarding Bush's campaign tactics.

than a president who can't control his emotions and use his head instead of his emotions while his finger is on the big button... Oh boy!

keep telling yourself the media is liberal when the owners of all these huge conglomerates have a right-wing agenda coz it's good for their business and keeping money in their pockets. What you are implying is absolutely illogical. Firstly, most journalists/reporters may be liberal but they aren't working for themselves they are working for corporations who are also protecting their interests as well as running a story to make $$$. It's all about the bottom line and protecting that line and you'll find the right protects that agenda much better than the left.

thanks,
drfunk

Originally posted by Intelearthling
Get a life and suck it up! Cry babies! Wah! Wah! Wah!
Kerry. What a waste! And all his followers too!

Are you old enough to vote?

Do not pigeon hole me as liberal either. I don't really care who wins your election as either way your in for a rough ride!

Whoever you vote for doesn't matter anyway (remember last time??:lol, the plan has moved into a new stage with this war on terror and who ever can carry on the next phase best will be 'PLACED' in power.

That'll be John 'More Royal blood' Kerry imo. Not because I want him but because he will suit the agenda now. Bush done his job.

I'll be VERY suprised if 'they' want Bush to continue the plan.

Still its only my opinion....

[edit on 9-10-2004 by 7th_Chakra]

I'll announce my pro-Kerry bias to get it out of the way before I speak on a strictly communicational level.

I wonder (and I have no answer) if Bush's attitude was a result of his slower and less dynamic responses in the first debate. Advisers obviously had a lot to say in what the candidates projected yesterday - I would think they told Bush to be more aggressive and not let Kerry put him on the defensive, while Kerry's advisers probably told him to look less professoral and be more direct and to the point. On both counts, if that was indeed what they were told, they did good, although Bush went somewhat overboard with the aggressiveness. He still has to find his balance - a President can be passionate and assertive in a debate, but he has the bonus of looking "presidential".

If Bush wants to edge past Kerry in the third debate, he has to be assertive but calm, and adopt the body language of someone who's confident about what he knows and what he stands for. Kerry often shook his head and chuckled when Bush attacked him or his record - but when Kerry rammed into the administration, Bush had an unreadable expression on his face. He should adopt a body language conveying to the audience that as President, he can very easily brush off his opponent's attacks.