Kerry given warning on clash with Bush, the 'TV genius'

[Gloria]

From the Telegraph (London) so you know the source (!)....however, there may be some worthwhile tidbits.....

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/27/wus27.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/09/27/ixportal.html

Kerry given warning on clash with Bush, the 'TV genius'
By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 27/09/2004)

Senator John Kerry was given a stark warning yesterday that President George W Bush is an unorthodox genius at live television who will spurn a debate with his opponent and instead appeal directly to viewers in Thursday's presidential showdown.

With Democrats desperately hoping that Mr Kerry will exploit his decades of debating experience to cut into Mr Bush's lead, both candidates have abandoned the campaign trail to prepare for the first of their three debates, in Miami.

But Garry Mauro, one of the few politicians to have debated with the president, warned Mr Kerry that the Democrat's acclaimed skill as a traditional set-piece debater will not help him to counter Mr Bush.

Mr Mauro, Mr Bush's defeated rival for the Texas governorship in 1998, said Mr Kerry's record in debating the finer points of policy will be of no use. Instead he should prepare for an unabashed pitch for the affections of the people.

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[Dickie Flatt]

1. it's true,

and that's why the debates are a sham. We need the candidates directly engaging each other on the issues, countering each other's points, asking each other questions, not this bullshit thing where they each give a speech in an ultra-controlled environment and then move on. It's a disgrace.

[AuntPatsy]

2. Good advice, Bush doesn't have anymore to work with than

appealing to the affections of his followers..

[JI7]

3. pretty good advice

[slinkerwink]

4. that's good advice!

[CalProf]

5. Bad Advice

Kerry should be Kerry. Don't try to out Bush Bush. He's got a record now, and can't "appeal to emotions" on the grounds that nobody knows what he'd do in office.

Kerry should show the people that he's got a head on his shoulders and experience.

[tedoll78]

9. Yup

I'd love to see Kerry do an all-out confrontation of Bush on the things that he's done while in the Oval Office. Keep it factual, do it with a smile, and explain each issue as you would to a 10-year-old.

That said, I doubt we'll see an all-out fight. I'm betting it'll be something closer to the nice-nice-fest of 2000 between Gore and Bush.. :puke:

[mzmolly]

17. I think he can do both.

:shrug:

[gospelized]

6. bush is at his weakest

when he is questioned about things he's done.

he's a better first-term debater than incumbant, because he can rely on rhetoric and "charm" rather than explain what he's done.

if Kerry can do some well placed jabs at what he's done as President, and make him jusity himself, bush will get angry and fall apart.

[AuntPatsy]

8. except it doesn't work that way, there are no rebuttles and as

far as the questions, they are known in advance and if any one that has given a question in advance veers off from that particular line of questioning, they will be told to immediately sit down, if such were not the case, it would be easier, you also have to take into account that bush followers will surely not listen to Kerry speaking just the facts since they have been reprogrammed to accept anyting Kerry says as nothing more than flip flopping...

it is good advice in my opinion...

[K. F. Gibbons]

7. wrong, wrong, Bush has a record now that he did not have before

Kerry should just come clean right upfront and in his opening simple state that he knows he is not as charismatic on T.V. as the president and then look into the camera and ask the people to "look past the cult of personality for a moment and consider the grave issues confronting our nation. The issuse we face today cannot be solved by the likability factor". Kerry should then beat the death out of the finer points.

[Peanut Gallery]

11. Kerry is charismatic on TV, imho

Bush is not. Though I agree that the issues facing the U.S. this time around cannot be solved by "likability."

Personally, I picture Kerry being relaxed and confident during the debates. He's able to think on his feet, joke around and ad lib. When Bush veers from the script it comes across as snarky, petty or mean. Like others have said, maybe Bush could get away with some of his simpleton "charm" four years ago when he was not the incumbent and a virtual unknown, but now he has a track record and more than a few burned bridges behind him.

[A_Possum]

14. You're absolutely right

Kerry has a great deal of charisma, far more than Bush. Frankly, I think just seeing the two men together on the stage is not going to be good for Bush.

Even though we're supposed to say Bush* is invincibly adorable.
:puke:

[tedoll78]

12. I love it!

I only wish..

[CarolynEC]

10. Well, but the point of the debate is not to convince Bush...

... it's to convince the people watching the debate.

I think describing Bush as an "unorthodox genius" is an exaggeration (to say the least!) but appealing directly to the viewers is just good technique.

JK needs to be constantly aware that he is speaking to the people on the other side of the TV screen, not to the goofwad standing on the other side of the stage.

If I remember correctly, the debate "contract" states that the cameras can't even get a reaction shot of the other guy when a candidate is answering a question.

So JK shouldn't really even worry about LOOKING at Bush when he's talking, let along trying to persuade him about anything.

[Cha]

13. We'll see won't we!

I'm sure Kerry thanks him for the "Warning"!

[kodi]

15. debate? what debate? all i see is a 90 minute infomercial.

these guys might as well be sitting in their homes talking to the moderator by satellite. there is no debate.

the formate gives the advantage to bush since there is no way to allow kerry to counter what bush has to say and demand clarification from bush. kerry will be unable to get bush off his memorized messege and reveal bush as the venal toad he is.

bush will bask as invincible all because his handlers effectivly hid his weaknesses.

it sounds like kerry's lawyers who negotitated the debate terms were the same ones who headed gore's recount efforts in florida 2000.

[CarolynEC]

16. Have to disagree with you there

"...there is no way to allow kerry to counter what bush has to say and demand clarification from bush. kerry will be unable to get bush off his memorized messege and reveal bush as the venal toad he is."

This can be a great opportunity for our guy to take his message directly to the voters. Think of JK as a prosecutor speaking to a jury, poking holes in the defense's case, laying out his own case, and winning them over to his side. :)

[kentuck]

18. It won't take much to get Bush off message, in my opinion...

The guy cannot take criticsm. If Kerry criticizes he way he has handled the war on terror, he will react. He will not stick to the script. The same if Kerry says we are not "safer". The same if he says Iraq was an unnecessary war at the wrong time. Bush will get off message.

[Hello_Kitty]

19. And he'll get snippy too. n/t