Debates

No posting for a couple of days- my Other Half has been busy cramming for an exam today (good luck honey!) and Daughter No. 2 has been poorly. Nothing worse than a sick baby.

Last night, purely by chance, I caught the final debate. For some reason I was convinced it was tonight. Good thing I was up late (it began at 2 a.m. here). I thought Bush was good- though he didn’t rebut Kerry enough for my taste. Perhaps it was because it was towards the end of the debate but I thought that Bush should have hammered Kerry over the Assault Weapon Ban question. Correct me if I’m remembering this wrong, but Kerry told a little story about being out hunting with a Sheriff who told him about a drugs bust on a house in which (gasp!) there was an AK-47 present. From what I took of this tale, it happened during the AWB- therefore proving that it didn’t work (and BTW, you could still buy an AK-type weapon during the ban- just one without a flash suppressor- what a totally pathetic piece of legislation). As they say, when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. The other thing about this is that Kerry criticised Bush for not stopping the Sunset. Now, isn’t Kerry a Senator- isn’t it his job to try and pass legislation? Shouldn’t he maybe do what he’s getting paid for (and why hasn’t he quit as Senator- he sure as hell isn’t doing the work he’s supposed to)? If he feels this strongly about it, why the hell didn’t he try to pass it? I wish Bush had got at him about this.

This is the first time I’ve watched the debates so perhaps I’m getting it wrong, but isn’t the Moderator supposed to do a little more than just ask questions? Shouldn’t he also attempt to get the candidates to answer the questions? Kerry’s performance was so appalling because he couldn’t answer a question. Within moments of opening his mouth he’d have gone off the point and begun to criticise Bush, without actually telling the electorate what he himself would do. Guess that’s all the proof you need to see that he doesn’t have any plan. And mentioning Dick Cheney’s daughter? Talk about bad taste. The sooner Bush wins the better.

My Other Half was particularly impressed by Bush’s references to his wife- his story about meeting her and love at first sight- and also by his passion for freedom, for the elections in Afghanistan. I honestly can’t see how anyone could say Kerry won this one.