Little dated, but worth the read...

[Zhukov]

An analysis of the first Presidential debate:

How Kerry won
Dennis Prager


October 5, 2004 | Print | Send


This column, which could be titled, "Whatever your position on Iraq, John Kerry is your man," is dedicated to Sean, a listener who called my radio show the day after the presidential debate. He enabled me to understand why most people believe John Kerry won the debate.

Sean explained that he was an opponent of the war in Iraq and only now could he finally vote for John Kerry. I asked him what Kerry said that confirmed that the Democratic candidate was his man.

Sean: "I believe he has a plan." (Kerry said he has a plan some 12 times.)

Prager: "A plan to do what?"

Sean: "A plan to withdraw our troops."

And then I understood. No matter what position you hold about American foreign policy and the war in Iraq, John Kerry holds your position.

Sen. Kerry accomplished this so subtly that recognition of it had eluded me.

Voters who want America to leave Iraq and voters who want to stay there and win -- both heard Kerry say exactly what they wanted to hear.

Voters who want America to act alone in the world when the world disagrees with us and voters who want America to proceed only when we have the international backing and an alliance with others -- both heard Kerry say exactly what they wanted to hear.

Voters who believe the war was a colossal mistake and voters who believe that our soldiers in Iraq are fighting for a noble cause -- both heard John Kerry say exactly what they wanted to hear.

Voters who want to believe that John Kerry has almost magic-like plans -- to get more allies, to leave the war, to win the war, to end the North Korean and Iranian nuclear threats -- heard John Kerry say exactly what they wanted to hear.

Even voters who share Michael Moore's conspiratorial theories about the war and the Bush presidency heard what they wanted (in Kerry's reference to Haliburton).

Regarding the war and foreign policy, there is no segment of America that John Kerry did not appeal to.

Here are direct quotes from John Kerry in the debate.

On staying in Iraq:

"I'm not talking about leaving. I'm talking about winning."

"Yes, we have to be steadfast and resolved, and I am. And I will succeed for those troops, now that we're there. We have to succeed. We can't leave a failed Iraq."

On leaving Iraq:

"And our goal in my administration would be to get all of the troops out of there ..."

"I believe that when you know something's going wrong, you make it right. That's what I learned in Vietnam."

What was it that John Kerry "learned in Vietnam?" To leave a war he regarded as a mistake.

Read entire article here.

The look of annoyance that Dennis mentions at the end of the article was very clear during the Wednesday debate, and the reason for it became quite clear to me at that time. The President hates what Sen. Kerry stands for, the things he says, and the way he behaves because of the danger it represents to the country. Likewise, it visibly distressed him just to know that people had to listen to the Senator. The President is well aware that the choice we have to make in about three weeks isn't even about the simple issues (for the Senator's position isn't really clear on any). His opponent doesn't offer any substanitive alternatives. The choice is about whether we will stand up to the challenge of our times or whether we will decide we just aren't willing to pay and sacrifice to overcome what must be overcome. That we choose to submit. For the President to have to listen to someone who advocates submission, however circuitously, is something painful for him to endure.