THE CLOSER:

How buoyant Bush survived Round Two: The President stopped scowling, laid on the Southern charm and went for his opponent's jugular on taxes. In the fickle opinion forum know as Spin Alley, that was enough to declare a win. (Paul Harris, October 10, 2004, The Observer)

As Bush struggled not to frown or smirk or grimace, it seemed as if Florida Mark II was about to play itself out. Kerry followed up by mentioning Bush's father in a clever ploy designed to press the son's psychological buttons. A few seconds later, when Kerry had finished slamming Bush's lack of allies in Iraq, Bush stormed forward, cutting off the moderator's attempts to move the debate forward. 'You tell Tony Blair we're going alone!' Bush almost shouted, his voice rising with emotion.

But if Bush was fighting to keep his self control, it was a fight he won. Kerry seemed slightly taken aback by Bush's outburst, and Bush followed up by going on the attack himself, lambasting Kerry as someone who would seek international permission for America's actions. It was a tactic that gradually put Kerry on the defensive. Bush switched into campaign mode, trotting out a familiar portrait of Kerry as a wimp who could not be a commander-in-chief and keep America safe. Bush was now speaking in a soft and folksy tone, turning up the Texas twang. The anger was under control. 'I don't think my opponent has the right view about the world to make us safe, I really don't,' he said.

Then, as the debate switched to domestic matters, Bush gradually displayed an increasing mastery of the 'town hall' format of the St Louis debate. He prowled around the hall for every question, often even standing as Kerry spoke. He looked directly at the questioners, thanking them by name. He seemed at ease. It was a style familiar to any who have followed Bush on the campaign trail. Though, of course, it did not prevent him from making the usual handful of verbal blunders, such as referring to a rumour about reinstating the draft on the 'internets'.

Yet Kerry is no slouch at town hall debates either. Almost two years of campaigning in primaries and for the White House have left him at home in public meetings. The debate settled down into a detailed discussion of taxes and healthcare.

For Bush it must have been a relief, and he began to deliver a scathing attack on Kerry's 20 years as a senator, painting him as a tax-and-spend liberal out of touch with mainstream America. Bush began to seize the initiative and deliver the campaign 'zingers' dreamt up the previous week. 'He's got a record. He's been there 20 years. You can run, but you can't hide,' Bush said.

Several times Kerry implored the audience at home to see through the image Bush was painting. 'The President is just trying to scare everyone here, throwing labels around,' he said. 'Labels don't mean anything.'

Then came the moment which may be remembered no matter who wins the White House. A questioner asked Kerry if he would vow to camera never to raise taxes on middle-class America, raising the spectre of the elder Bush's 'Read my lips, no new taxes' pledge. Kerry took the bait. 'Yes. Right into the camera. Yes, I am not going to raise taxes,' Kerry said.

By now Bush was relaxed and joking with the audience. 'Of course he's going to raise your taxes,' he laughed. Kerry became increasingly long-winded. On a question about government funding for abortion, Kerry gave a monologue on the ethical complexities of the issue and his own personal morality. Bush got up. 'I'm trying to decipher that [answer],' he said, shaking his head with a shrug 'My answer is we are not going to spend taxpayers' money on abortion.' A few Democrats sitting in Spin Alley noticeably winced. By the time the debate was finished, both sides in Spin Alley had enough to plausibly claim victory. Kerry had not suffered any killer blows, but he did not deliver any either.

Bush recovered from his poor start to take control, and ended the stronger.

Wasn't Senator Kerry supposed to be the one who closes well?

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 9, 2004 11:52 PM