Kerry needs to expect flip-flop surprise in debate

[genius]

Bush is the man of surprises (he nailed us by switching those documents) and he has probably had people searching day and night to throw Kerry a ringer he will not expect. Kerry needs to be prepared for surprise flip-flop claims in every area - including areas he's not expecting them in. Bush will likely also try to do a flip-flop sound byte or chant that the news will pick up.

[emulatorloo]

1. Kerry should 'flip-flop' GWB onto the ground & swat him with a flyswatter

At least that is what I'd like to see.

At any rate, I bet Kerry is gonna be prepared w some surprises and sound bytes of his own.

[fob]

2. Also should be expecting direct questions. Just because they are

supposedly not allowed as part of the negotiations, bush* WILL ask a direct question or more. Kerry cannot be stunned and DEFINITELY should NOT say anything along the lines of "I thought we weren't allowed to pose direct questions to each other?" to the mods. In fact, Kerry should ask a direct question FIRST, but at the very least, ask back when bush* does his.

[MallRat]

5. Bush clumsily passed on a direct question in 2000. Did that hurt him?

Transcript of 2nd Presidential Debate, moderated by Jim Lehrer, 10/11/2000:

MODERATOR: Do you believe in general terms that gays and lesbians should have the same rights as other Americans?

BUSH: Yes. I don't think they ought to have special rights, but I think they ought to have the same rights.

GORE: Well, there's a law pending called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I strongly support it. What it says is that gays and lesbians can't be fired from their job because they're gay or lesbian. And it would be a federal law preventing that. Now, I wonder if the -- it's been blocked by the opponents in the majority in the Congress. I wonder if the Governor would lend his support to that law.

MODERATOR: Governor?

BUSH: The question -- (pauses confusedly, motions to Gore, Lehrer as if appealing to an umpire for a ruling)

MODERATOR: Well, it is a logical response. (Lehrer motions to Bush, who must answer the question.)

BUSH: Well, I have no idea. I mean, he can throw out all kinds -- I don't know the particulars of this law. I will tell you I'm the kind of person, I don't hire or fire somebody based upon their sexual orientation. As a matter of fact, I would like to take the issue a little further. I don't really think it's any of my -- you know, any of my concerns what -- how you conduct your sex life. And I think that's a private matter. And I think that's the way it ought to be. But I'm going to be respectful for people, I'll tolerate people, and I support equal rights but not special rights for people.

[fob]

6. Yeah, I'd say it did. He clearly didn't react well. That's why Kerry

should do it over and over before shrub* does it first. This time when shrub* does it, it will be the typical ugly type direct question and slimier than we have seen to date.

[Anaxamander]

7. Or how about this direct question from Gore?

MODERATOR: Governor, what is your -- are you opposed to affirmative action?

BUSH: If affirmative action means quotas, I'm against it. If affirmative action means what I just described what I'm for, then I'm for it. You heard what I was for. The vice president keeps saying I'm against things. You heard what I was for, and that's what I support.

MODERATOR: What about -- Mr. Vice President, you heard what he said.

GORE: He said if affirmative action means quotas, he's against it. Affirmative action doesn't mean quotas. Are you for it without quotas?

BUSH: I may not be for your version, Mr. Vice President, but I'm for what I just described to the lady.

GORE: Are you for what the Supreme Court says is a constitutional way of having affirmative action?

MODERATOR: Let's go on to another --

GORE: I think that speaks for itself.

BUSH: No, it doesn't speak for itself, Mr. Vice President, it speaks for the fact that there are certain rules in this that we all agree to, but evidently rules don't mean anything.

MODERATOR: The question is for you, Vice President Gore, and Lisa Kee will ask it. Lisa Kee, where are you? There we go, sorry.

[MallRat]

8. Wow. I missed that one.

That really came back and bit him in the ass, didn't it?

"...evidently rules don't mean anything."

What a snippy, yappy, wussified little fuck. A fair and even-handed media should've torn him limb-from-limb.

I'm not holding my breath in 2004. Kerry will have to utterly destroy Bush in the debate, 'cause he's sure not going to get any help in the post-debate analysis.

-MR

[LuminousX]

3. Kerry actually needs to point out Bush flip-flops before

Bush can even raise the subject. That way it only looks like Bush is being defensive when he brings it up, and he will bring it up.

[Lautremont]

4. Kerry's people should simply

rig up a loudspeaker that will, at the push of a button from Kerry, ring out with a triumphant "HA-ha!" from The Simpsons. Kerry can push it any time bush says something flip-floppy, false or nonsensical. I have a feeling we'd be hearing it a lot.