"I don't pay attention until the debates."

[Paragon]

Seems to be the refrain I hear more and more, even with the increased attention to the campaigns this year.

Don't think we'll be seeing much movement in poll numbers or whatever til then, even with the Repukes convention -- which probably explains my malaise with the campaign lately.

Won't get real interesting again til the debates, barring some catastrophic event.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. When is the first one?

[Paragon]

2. Here:

http://www.debates.org

Presidential Debate Schedule

First presidential debate:
Thursday, September 30
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL

Vice presidential debate:
Tuesday, October 5
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH

Second presidential debate:
Friday, October 8
Washington University
in St. Louis

Third presidential debate:
Wednesday, October 13
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

[soothsayer]

3. sept 30

http://www.debates.org/pages/news_040813.html

More info at link above (dates, places, etc)

[KurtNYC]

4. bad news if true

Bush picked up a lot of support during the debates in 2000.

He's a master debater.

[fudge stripe cookays]

5. No he's not.

The man is a moron.

If he's a master of anything, it's responding to what's being piped into his earpiece.

[KurtNYC]

7. That was a joke sort of

a little word play, you see.

But you are wrong about him being a moron. He is a total political animal. Dis-interested, poorly informed, yes but "moron" no.

I have never seen an earpiece on him. There is plenty truly wrong with him and his policies -- it only discredits us when we exaggerate.

[fudge stripe cookays]

13. Exaggerate, hell!

"They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Yep, that's some political animal.

Just because you've never seen an earpiece on him means nothing. His handlers are the ones planning every move. He's simply a figurehead.

Better lay off that Kool-Aid a bit.

[Paragon]

6. I hope that's sarcasm.

I think you meant "masturbator".

[yardwork]

14. LOL! Shrub would lose a debate with a rock.

A master debater? Is that the latest talking point?

[oasis]

15. Bush's adoring media lowered expectations for their hero long before

the debates began. Gore was hyped as the more knowledgable debater.

[jtb33]

8. I think...

That the debates will probably have the greatest impact of anything in this election...

Does anyone have any numbers on how much (in past elections) the debates have affected the polls?

[KurtNYC]

10. Here is one story

Granted it is AP (all propaganda) but it does a fair job of describing how the debates played out for Bush/Media vs. Al Gore.

http://www.abilene2000.com/elec/bushbetter1012.html

- snip
Democrat Gore won the battle of the snap polls after the first debate Oct. 3, but slipped in public opinion by the weekend after attention focused on his aggressive behavior and audible sighs.

Note to Kerry: Hold your breath during Bush's answers.

[Philostopher]

11. You're exactly right when you express it that way:

"Bush/Media vs Gore"

We only watched one debate in 2000, and if you'd seen a transcript only, and no spin or commentary, you'd have thought Gore mopped the floor with the Dim Son. Unfortunately, Gore looked uneasy and stiff at times, and of course that, instead of delivered rhetoric or the quality of the words that came out of both men's mouths, was what journalists pounced on.

I mean, for Pete's sake -- they reported more on what color suits Gore wore than they did on what he said!

I will say that, thus far, there appears to be at least somewhat less focus on ephemerals like what color tie Kerry wears, but why that is and how long it will last, I don't know. Nor do I know whether this will translate to a fair estimation of the debates -- Kerry has his stiff moments, too, though he comes into this dogfight dragging less baggage than Gore did, in many ways, and he seldom seems to telegraph impatience in a way that can be perceived by the casual viewer.

[zbdent]

9. Sounds like someone who won't pay attention to the debates,

either.

Sounds like he's/she's going to let the media tell him/her that Bush wiped the floor with Kerry.

[against all enemies]

12. Bush Sr. lost the election by looking at his watch during a debate.

Gore "lost" his election by acting like a jerk and sighing every time Bush said something stupid. Gore had to sigh every other minute and it cost him the election(along with Jeb in Fla.) The election can be won or lost on the slightest image during the debates. And the American people already accept that bush is an idiot, so Kerry must be careful.