"Republicans depending on Cheney to halt the ticket's slide in momentum"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&e=2&u=/washpost/20041004/ts_washpost/a4587_2004oct3

Tomorrow's vice presidential debate, which both campaigns once presumed would be a sideshow to the presidential race, has assumed critical importance, with Republicans depending on Vice President Cheney to halt the ticket's slide in momentum.

After what Republicans acknowledge was President Bush (news - web sites)'s faltering performance in his televised encounter with Democratic nominee John F. Kerry, GOP strategists said Cheney's aim is to return public attention to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the administration's broader handling of the terrorism threat and away from what they called a "second-guessing" debate over the decision to invade Iraq (news - web sites).

A Republican official involved in Cheney's preparation for his encounter with Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) (N.C.) said the vice president will try to bring fresh attention to the themes "that shoot out of the 9/11 set of memories and issues -- preparedness, safety and homeland security."

Kerry's aides are hoping that at the debate in Cleveland, Edwards will summon his skills as a trial lawyer to cast Cheney as the architect of the administration's worst policy judgments, as well as a symbol of corporate excess because of his former position as chief executive of Halliburton, which has received huge Iraq contracts but has also faced accusations of improper billing there.

[neuvocat]

1. Cheney will accelerate it.

Edwards could just put it away early and put an end to all this.

[life_long_dem]

13. Here's some ammo

http://www.pakistan-facts.com/article.php/2004031621042158

[Maestro]

2. I can see him now

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. I'm having uncontrollable Cheney = Jabba Photoshop visions...

[Cha]

14. "No Problem"

"His pacemaker is specially outfitted for
Smear Mode"!!

[Doosh]

3. politicizing 9/11 is all they've got

[wtmusic]

4. Edwards can't be Mr. Nice guy this time

He will have to shed the boyish charm and take off the gloves. Cheney will be a mad dog. They are cornered and dangerous.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

19. No, he will calmly stroll into the spider's web...

...and frigging DEVOUR the spider.

I don't believe that Edwards has missed a single second of the bitch-slapping Cheney has been sending his way since the Kerry-Edwards ticket was announced. He's READY for a piece of ol' Crashcart. Since Cheney IS an asshole it would be somewhat redundant to say that Edwards is going to tear him a NEW one, but this is HUGE. Edwards has been sending messages throughout the campaign that he has no intention of being Cheney's whipping boy.

Did anyone here see "Scarborough Country" tonight? The "crawl" text that ran at the bottom of the screen was "How can Bush win the next debate?"

There was also talk on MSNBC (might have been on Tweety...I caught it on the fly) tonight about Halliburton, specifically Cheney saying that he hasn't profited from the war in Iraq. Damn, I'd LOVE the opportunity to "not profit" by having TWO MILLION FRIGGING DOLLARS drop into my bank account like Uncle Evil Dick.

Kerry handed Bush his ASS by behaving in a PRESIDENTIAL manner. Kerry looked GREAT, especially when Bush was smirkin' and swaggerin' and being the assbite that he is. Bush LOST by being himself...a spoiled little preppie cheerleader from Connecticut. Kerry WON by being himself...a good man who has served honorably and will do so to a greater degree after November 2nd.

I'm willing to bet that Edwards will keep his "Nice Guy" / "boyish charm" persona AND lay Cheney to WASTE. Edwards simply has too much ammunition to even break a sweat over this prick.

If I'm wrong I'll be back here tomorrow night...same Bat Time, same Bat Channel...to admit it.

:evilgrin:

[jimshoes]

5. Edwards needs only to

bring up all the sneaky dealings connected with Darth Cheney to cement the deal. Be ready to defend however, I expect a furious attack by the snarly one.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. No problem.

He's faced much more competant opponants in twenty years of lawyering, going after powerful corporate interests than he will tomorrow night.

[Crachet2004]

7. Dick Cheney is going to be nasty...and to fight someone nasty,

You are going to have to get it all over YOURSELF. Edwards, at the very least, should indicate Dick Cheney has a vested interest through Halliburton, in a continuation of war-because he is nothing but a war profiteer...but say it as nicely as you can-or not, but say it!

[CityHall]

8. BCCI

I hope Edwards mentions Kerry's role in bringing down BCCI, and its ties to terrorist financing. The audience for the VP debates will be a bit more astute and able to follow that argument thann the general audience. BCCI is actually familiar to people who followed the anti-government, anti-Clinton conspiracy rumor mill in the '90s.

I also wish, though it won't happen, that Edwards would paint Bush as too close to the Saudis to really fight terror. But that's too hot an issue and K/E have probably gotten some Saudi money of their own at some point.

[teryang]

9. You have to let Cheney hang himself

...by being himself. Needle him a little bit and he will make one of his totally unsupportable statements of disinformation. Then you can take him apart.

[Beetwasher]

10. Cheney Is One Of The Most Unpopular, Disliked VP's EVER

This is truly hilarious...

I know I shouldn't be saying this, lowering expectations and all, but, I honestly see no way Cheney can win this debate. He doesn't have the temperament. It will take every ounce of energy he has, bad heart and all, to stop sneering, throw in Halliburton allegations, profiteering, energy committe, run-up to war and the scumbag will be lucky to walk out of there without having had to be defibbed...

I wouldn't be surprised if something happens tomorrow to preempt this debate...

[MADem]

17. I have to warn you

...Chee-Nee really can be charming. When I met him, I had no frame of reference, I never once saw the DR DOOM persona--he was SECDEF at the time--but he was relaxed, easy, amusing, witty, a great conversationalist and he put me at ease. I spent a lot of time with him, and it was a very pleasant experience. Of course, he wasn't trying to destroy life as we know it back then.

However, Edwards has those same positive qualities, and he doesn't turn it on and off like Dickie does. It's gonna be an interesting debate. If it even comes out to a TIE, it's a DEM win. I'm hoping JE hits it out of the park...he's got all those swell lawyering skills, and he is a charmer on the stump.

[Erika]

12. Edwards Will Show How Cheney's & Kerry's Votes Were 80% in

agreement. Cheney will look the sour war-mongering dolt he is and Edwards will show the face of hope and the future.

[MrSlayer]

15. Could this be where they stage the Cheney "Heart Attack"?

Tinfoil hats on. :tinfoilhat:

[Endangered Specie]

16. Talk about putting your money on a dead horse.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

18. That's the ticket. Dare to dream

even if in reality it's a nightmare!

And whatever you do, pay no attention to the Dick behind the curtain.