I know it's waaay too early for this, but is anyone else drooling

[boxster]

over the prospect of the presidential debates?

The possibilities are just incredible.

Here's how to pick a candidate that would shred Bush in the debates:
1) Find a dartboard. Hang it on the wall.
2) Tape pictures of the 10 current Democratic candidates randomly on the dartboard. Or in alphabetical order. Or in order of preference. Doesn't matter.
3) Close your eyes.
4) Throw a dart.
5) Pick the dart up off of the floor. Repeat steps 3-4 until your dart finds a candidate.

That candidate will just demolish Bush in the debate.

Strangely, the possible matchup that generates an evil grin the most for me is Sharpton/Bush. No way Sharpton will be the nominee, of course, but can you just imagine Bush blubbering trying to counter Al's wit?

[cherryperry]

1. Not to worry, boxster:

Bush will be blubbering trying to counter any democrat's points. This is really a job for Will Ferrell!

[demnan]

2. Sharpton would have Bush for breakfest

then he'd chew on Gephardt and Kerry for lunch. Dinner would be Dean and Clark.

But Sharpton isn't gonna win.

[ThomWV]

3. No, To Tell The Truth

I have every expectation that I will indeed get to see the debate that I wish to see. I whole heartedly expect to see Bush have to debate Clark, and it doesn't take a third eye to see how that will go.

Thom

[catmandu57]

4. The chimp* ain't going to debate

not if kkkarl can help it. They'll find some lame excuse to avoid it, because he know that the moron* would be lunch for anyone coming at him.
The only way the trained monkey* comes close to a debate is like chicken ahnold, have the questions in advance, no deviation, the moron* isn't about to debate.

[RichV]

7. He'll have to debate

It's tradition at this point. But it's also worth remembering how badly we all thought Gore would tear Bush to shreds. Didn't exactly happen that way, as far as the public was concerned.

Sigh...

[WilliamPitt]

5. MMMMMMMMMMMMWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAHHH...

[eric_schafer]

8. killer!

I'm for Dean, but that's freakin' awesome!

"Dress-up box"!

[RichM]

6. Don't you remember that they said this about Gore, too?

This is naive chatter. The debates are structured so that it's very difficult to deal at the level of substance. The whole 90 minutes can pass with only soundbites being uttered. How else could Arnold even be on the same stage with Camejo the other night?

Gore possessed great advantages in terms of knowledge, quality of positions, & supposed debating skill, yet didn't "demolish" Bush at all. He barely laid a glove on him. Gore was a pretty high-quality candidate -- at least as good as many in the current field. So I'd be cautious about making such cheerful predictions.

I do agree, though, with your point about Sharpton. THAT's a matchup I'd pay to see -- no matter how the debates are structured.

[Cocoa]

10. it's different now

in reality, Gore DID demolish Bush. The only reason this wasn't obvious to everyone is that people gave Bush the benefit of the doubt.

But now we know Bush, and that makes a HUGE difference.

[morningglory]

15. Plus Gore LIED about going to a wildfire of flood with some guy.

That obliterated any intelligent discussion the next 3 weeks.

[boxster]

19. Yeah, and don't forget the schooldesk "scandal".

That was just about the most pathetic excuse for a front-page-for-a-week story I've ever seen. That's when I began to think Gore was screwed.

[SharonAnn]

29. Bush LIED about the Patients Bill of Right in Texas

He said he led a bi-partisan coalition to get this passed.

In fact, he vetoed it the first time. The second time it came to his desk it had a veto-proof majority so he just "didn't veto it". He didn't sign it, he just didn't veto it.

That was an out-and-out LIE! He knew it, he intended to do it, and he did it. But what's worse is he got a pass on it.

[HFishbine]

17. Exaclty

Bush "won" because people had misunderestimated him.

[mlawson]

22. bush 'won' because the public accepted the media whore spin.

The first polls just after the first debate showed a majority who thought that Gore won. But after a few days, and RELENTLESS media whore ridicule of Gore, and their categorical insistance that Dumbo won, the polls reversed. At that point I knew we were f----d.

[mlawson]

21. But the media whores will prevail,

unless our guy TOTALLY cleans bush's clock. As you saw this week, after the CA debates, they will absolutely hand bush each debate. No matter how bad bush is. So we have to have a candidate who can demolish bush, in such a way that the most dimwitted swing voter 'gets it'.

[shimmergal]

28. Actually, the media just spun it that Bush "won" the debates.

Will they do it again? Maybe. No matter how stupid his remarks, there'll be some commentators out there who drool about his "clarity" or "leadership qualities" shown in the debate.

[boxster]

14. Yes, you are correct, though Gore needed to

lay off the "lockbox"!

Seriously though, I half expected Gore to have a Dukakis moment, "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy."

The media just killed Gore after the debates. They disected every word he said while ignoring the obvious BS answers Bush spouted. Bush has even more control over the media now than he did then, so it's very likely we could see more of the same.

The difference, I believe, is that the public has had some time to realize just how transparent and phony Bush is. Though, 49% still inexplicable support him....

[oasis]

9. A crackhead wino could kick Chimpy's ass in a debate.

[dolstein]

11. What makes you so sure there will even be a debate?

I'd be surprised if Bush agrees to three debates like last time. Instead, they'll probably proposed a single debate, moderated by "fair and balanced" Bill O'Reilly, to be broadcast at 2:00 am on Fox New.

[cherryperry]

12. Only someone such as you, dolstein,

would be able to actually have me concern myself about this...but, when you suggest it, I pay attention!

:argh:

[TrogL]

13. It won't matter

50% of the population lives in a delusional world where no matter what Dubya says, it has to be the greatest thing ever said, therefore it is the greatest thing ever said.

He could get up there, drop his pants and wiggle his banana and they would call him America's saviour.

[HFishbine]

16. Hey, I tried it

I missed, hit my Tickle-Me Elmo and your theory still holds up.

[boxster]

18. That is just about the best posting I have seen today.

Thanks for making me laugh. :D

The scary thing is that I still see Bush blubbering.

Of course, Fox would accuse Elmo of being a commie/pinko, America-hating liberal even before the debate starts.

Hey, wait a minute, if Bush wore his flight suit to the debate, both candidates would be stuffed!

[HFishbine]

20. Then

yours has to be the second best. (Stroke, stroke)

[boxster]

25. I tell ya....

this is a hell of a lot less stressful (and more fun) than trying to talk sense to the conspiracy theorists.

[hiphopnation]

23. That's if Rove allows an open debate forum...

that's not completely staged.

[Hamlette]

24. NONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!!!!

ACK. Don't you remember 2000? We couldn't wait for the debate between Bush and Gore because Gore would destroy Bush. Expectations of Bush were so low that when he walked onto the stage with his shoes tied he'd already done better than anyone thought. Everyone thought Bush had won!!! (Gore sighing didn't help. Dang.)

Don't build up expectations!

[boxster]

26. There are other responses in the thread similar to this -

and you're partially correct, though "lockbox" and sighing certainly didn't help Gore. He was right about the "lockbox", but I think the average person tired very quickly of that. Once that happened, he was screwed.

One difference this time is that I think the public knows Bush better now. If his poll numbers continue to drop, people will be more likely to actually expect something coherent out of him. I don't think he can compete if that's the case.

[maggrwaggr]

27. gee, I thought Gore demolished Shrub, but people actually said otherwise

Nobody seems to understand anything anymore, and all anyone has to do is say a few cute one-liners to "win" a debate.

Started with Reagan and "here he goes again".

Disgusting