I guess I've heard both of them speak too much. Once one gets behind the Swiss finishing school voice diction and listens to what the two men are saying...it's no contest.

Bush had him on almost every single issue. The overall impression from watching Kerry is that he would make an excellent French Matre De at a five star restaurant. As for his mantrum about foreign alliances and diplomacy, they make him appear like he is running for EU President--not the President of the United States. His "global test" is a concession to his Euro-centric outlook. And let's be blunt--the Euros are weak on defense. We've been their babysitters for fifty years protecting their state-of-the-art development of their red light districts.

Bush's closing statements were emotional and heartfelt. Kerry's clear desire to concede American power were, to steal his tagline, "more of the same." When one knows who's bankrolling Kerry, he gave debate answers only George Soros or non-US citizens could love and embrace. Anyone who wants to see democracy fluorish in the Middle East can kiss it goodbye were Kerry to become President.

He lied about the tax cuts being only for the wealthy. He lied about the subways in New York. He still believes that a suicide bomber can be prepared for, rather than taken out before they get to our shores. Islamofascists are like snipers. They only need one shot. They only plan for one shot. Reshaping the Middle East and weakening extreme Islam generationally is the only viable long-term strategy. Kerry doesn't get that and neither do most folks on the left who are embracing their inner Jiminy Cricket while the religious fanatics kill their children. Yes, the war on terror is a war on religious fanatics. One candidate on the stage understood that--and it wasn't John Kerry.

George Bush could've walked on water and the media would still have declared Kerry the victor in the debate. Only when folks read the trancripts and analyze what was said do they see how weak Kerry's points and positions are.

Kerry never defended his Senate record. Bush denigrated it and Kerry ran away from it--and with good reason.

When you have no twinkle -all the Swiss finishing schools and proper diction mean very little. Bush appears more human. In America, where folks don't have to apologize if they smile at you, that will weigh heavily in the voters minds and hearts.

I appreciate your points. You may notice how several of Kerry's responses linked Bush's failure to capture Osama Bin Laden as a failure in the war on terror. If Bin Laden is killed or captured prior to election day it will invalidate his entire position--not that his own words don't already discount its worth. They thought it was a strong point and they needed to talk about anything other than Kerry's record. They took a very big gamble.

;-)

PS
Kerry, when he watched Bush talk, reminded me of the lanky evil bishop in LadyHawke. (an old movie from the 80s. Anyone who has seen the film recently will know what I mean.)