The first Presidential Debates have come and gone. In the past these prime-time TV events have been turning points for or against candidates.
Ronald Reagan memorably doused Jimmy Carter's enthusiastic attacks with the four words: 'There you go again'. Reagan said he thought those four words won him the election. Bill Clinton was a master on this stage. Poor old President Ford confidently stated that the Soviets were not in control of any portions of Eastern Europe, effectively underlining his reputation as a bungler.
This time there were no knock-out punches. President Bush repeated his mantra that 'his opponent' was saying that Iraq was 'wrong war, wrong time, wrong place' and that this was not supportive of the troops on the ground. He kept on trying to caricature John Kerry as a 'flip-flopper', not able to keep to a consistent position on anything. Senator Kerry, on the other hand, attempted to paint Bush as indeed 'strong' but lacking sensible judgement. The Iraq war had been carried out poorly, with disdain for the international world order, and it would take a new President to sort out the mess.
