How to Debate George Bush - By Al Gore (NYTimes)

[Eye and Monkey]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/opinion/29gore.html?hp

This year, as usual, the dominance of attack advertisements on television has made it hard to get a clear picture of where the candidates stand. But the same media revolution that brought us the 30-second commercial also brought us televised presidential debates - and ever since the first of them 44 years ago, they have played a crucial role in shaping voters' opinions of the candidates.

America has long been devoted to the clash between opposing advocates as the best way to evaluate information. In this era of media clutter, it is all the more important for voters to have this moment of simple clarity when the candidates appear before them stripped of advisers, sound bites and media spin.

My advice to John Kerry is simple: be prepared for the toughest debates of your career. While George Bush's campaign has made "lowering expectations" into a high art form, the record is clear - he's a skilled debater who uses the format to his advantage. There is no reason to expect any less this time around. And if anyone truly has "low expectations" for an incumbent president, that in itself is an issue.
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[Eye and Monkey]

1. And you GOTTA read the punch line at the end!

[politicat]

4. And people thought this guy was stiff and boring?

He's got a great sense of humor and irony....

Or is he too dry for most Americans? Does our humor HAVE to take the form of Married... with Children? I thought we could cope... the Simpsons are subtle...

PCat

[Eye and Monkey]

5. Well, think how Bush will react. He won't get it until someone explains.

He'll say - "See? See? All this guy does is SIGH!"

And I would bet that no one explains the joke - Unca Dick will probably nod his head and say "That's right, Mr. President, all he does is sigh..."

And I think that speculation near-about sums up why the media was able to get away with the stiff-boring characterization.

[Melodybe]

2. Gore is awesome, damn my stupid youth and Ralph Fuckhead Nader

How could I have been so wrong about Al Gore, I also love that he quotes the Daily Show and his speeches are dead on, makes me regreat my vote even more. Ralph Nader SUX!!!

I wish Al Gore would go on the Daily Show. I bet he'd have some interesting things to say.

[MissMarple]

3. How could I have been so misunderstood? Go Al!

"The biggest single difference between the debates this year and four years ago is that President Bush cannot simply make promises. He has a record. And I hope that voters will recall the last time Mr. Bush stood on stage for a presidential debate. If elected, he said, he would support allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada. He promised that his tax cuts would create millions of new jobs. He vowed to end partisan bickering in Washington. Above all, he pledged that if he put American troops into combat: "The force must be strong enough so that the mission can be accomplished. And the exit strategy needs to be well defined."

Comparing these grandiose promises to his failed record, it's enough to make anyone want to, well, sigh."

[cybildisobedience]

6. hate to be cynical...

but I can just hear the "liberal" pundits now:
"Advice from Al Gore? You've GOT to be kidding...."

[truth2power]

7. Hey, look at the picture of Bush

in the Campaign 2004 box on that page.

Isn't the the "two faced" pic we've seen here? Cover up each side, respectively. Why would that be on the NYT site?