How to Debate George Bush - by VP Al Gore in NYT

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/opinion/29gore.html?hp

<snip>

My advice to John Kerry is simple: be prepared for the toughest debates of your career. While George Bush's campaign has made "lowering expectations" into a high art form, the record is clear - he's a skilled debater who uses the format to his advantage. There is no reason to expect any less this time around. And if anyone truly has "low expectations" for an incumbent president, that in itself is an issue.

But more important than his record as a debater is Mr. Bush's record as a president. And therein lies the true opportunity for John Kerry - because notwithstanding the president's political skills, his performance in office amounts to a catastrophic failure. And the debates represent a time to hold him to account. For the voters, these debates represent an opportunity to explore four relevant questions: Is America on the right course today, or are we off track? If we are headed in the wrong direction, what happened and who is responsible? How do we get back on the right path to a safer, more secure, more prosperous America? And, finally, who is best able to lead us to that path?

A clear majority of Americans believe that we are heading in the wrong direction. The reasons are obvious. The situation in Iraq is getting worse. Osama bin Laden is alive and plotting against us. About 2.7 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. Forty-five million Americans are living without health insurance. Medicare premiums are the highest they've ever been. Environmental protections have been eviscerated.

In the coming debates, Senator Kerry has an opportunity to show voters that today American troops and American taxpayers are shouldering a huge burden with no end in sight because Mr. Bush took us to war on false premises and with no plan to win the peace. Mr. Kerry has an opportunity to demonstrate the connection between job losses and Mr. Bush's colossal tax break for the wealthy. And he can remind voters that Mr. Bush has broken his pledge to expand access to health care.

<snip>

The debate tomorrow should not seek to discover which candidate would be more fun to have a beer with. As Jon Stewart of the "The Daily Show'' nicely put in 2000, "I want my president to be the designated driver.''

[NJCher]

1. war is costing American families $500 a month

If you are in the 50-100k bracket.


Cher

[Jack_Dawson]

5. Ummm...if that's TRUE...that would be a great point to make.

and a nice illustration to bring the war costs home for everyone else. Do you think the Dems will do such a thing?

:toast:

[SeekingTruth]

7. You created a problem for me Mr. Jack Dawson...

After seeing your little picture, I had this submliminal buzz in my head for a certain kind of beer....

Went to the Friar Tucks looking for it but told them I would have to see the label....and there it is...

Victoria Bitter....is it any good?

[Jack_Dawson]

8. It's GREAT!

I subsisted on it for 3 months in Australia. Where the hell is Friar Tucks? VB is in the states???

[SeekingTruth]

12. No wonder I couldn't find it...

The boring state of Illinois.....

[Jack_Dawson]

13. OMG you so had my hopes up

Those fuckers will never export it. So instead they send us swill like Fosters. It's a way to encourage tourism I guess...

[SeekingTruth]

15. I'll look harder next time.....nt

nt

[dennis4868]

2. The last true Vice President we had....

what a special person Mr. Gore is....

[I_like_chicken]

3. I like the ending

Comparing these grandiose promises to his failed record, it's enough to make anyone want to, well, sigh.

[Rose Siding]

4. "It's enough to make you want to, well, sigh"

Love him to bits.

[SeekingTruth]

6. Wow....Gore hit it on the head....

this part, especially the middle, is to hit Mr. Reponsibilty, Resolve, Failure on...

Is America on the right course today, or are we off track? If we are headed in the wrong direction, what happened and who is responsible? How do we get back on the right path to a safer, more secure, more prosperous America? And, finally, who is best able to lead us to that path?


Who is responsible.....who is responsible...

[lefthandedskyhook]

9. Yes, Fry him with the facts

Then offer a clearly defined alternative. Keep it simple yet penetrating. A bit of aggression could play well as outrage at the failures.

Undecided voters want to be hit over the head by a compelling plan.

[wabeewoman]

10. Sigh

if only we could hit the back button and erase the last 4 years. Or see what an alternative universe would be like if we hadn't let bush steal the election. My president, Mr. Gore.

[Gregorian]

11. The killer question- Who is responsible?

I know George can't answer that. We know from his previous utterances, that he simply cannot comprehend personal responsibility.
The debt is the subject that will destroy his chance of ever winning. In my discussion with republicans, the debt is the one issue that they simply cannot tolerate. Only the staunchest, or stupidest, supporters can get under that political limbo stick. Otherwise I have seen previous Bush supporters decide to simply abstain from voting this time around.

Now, the question is, who gets to ask the questions. Maybe we'll get lucky.

I don't see Bush as being a good debater. He's just good at being snide, and evasive. He's not smart.

[pacalo]

14. For a good laugh, read the paragraph in which Gore reminds the voters

about the tWo-faced coWard's campaign promises in 2000:

The biggest single difference between the debates this year and four years ago is that President Bush cannot simply make promises. He has a record. And I hope that voters will recall the last time Mr. Bush stood on stage for a presidential debate. If elected, he said, he would support allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs from Canada. He promised that his tax cuts would create millions of new jobs. He vowed to end partisan bickering in Washington. Above all, he pledged that if he put American troops into combat: "The force must be strong enough so that the mission can be accomplished. And the exit strategy needs to be well defined."