The Debates Preamble
Posted by Moonage on 08 Sep 2004 | Tagged as: 2004 Presidential Election
Bush and Kerry seem to be settling on having two debates before the election. This IMO is a dangerous move for Kerry. Using the 2000 debates as an example, people are speculating purely on the “debate” aspect of the debates, I see it as something else entirely.
The problem Gore had was not his debating skills, it was his bad “acting”. While nothing seems to fluster Bush, Gore went from stone cold to a raving lunatic in a matter of a couple of weeks in front of the entire country. He hammered home the perception of being a plastic candidate while Bush did nothing more than smile while Gore went down in his own flames.
The problem Kerry faces speaking in public is he speaks in a dull monotone. Bush ads personality by slaughering the English language. I think Kerry is too polished to allow that, and it detracts from his people skills. He comes accross kinda icy and flat. Now, one of two things will happen, Kerry will advise himself and come accross the same way during the debates, OR, he’ll listen to his advisors and try to inflect more personality. If he does the latter, I think he’ll come accross sillier than Bush. If he does the former, he’ll just reinforce what has been broadcast on the evening news. The best thing Kerry could do, IMHO, is get semi-drunk before the debate. When it comes to the individual voter, they already know the positions of each candidate, the ability of the candidate to connect one-to-one with each viewer is what will win any votes. Bush’s laid back personality and ability to deflect Gore’s plastic aggressiveness IMO won the election. If Kerry doesn’t find some way to make his personality a little more likeable, the debates will kill him equally as they did Gore. Bush’s personality won those debates and the election, it certainly wasn’t his debate skills. Kerry’s already losing steam, if he’s not careful, these debates could seal it. He’s the underdog IMO.
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