October 8, 2004
THE HUMAN VS. THE CIGAR STORE INDIAN:
Bush Fights to Keep Emotions in Check (RON FOURNIER, 10/08/04, AP)
President Bush smirked and winked and chuckled to himself. He jumped from his stool, chopped at the air and interrupted the debate moderator. As he fought to keep his emotions in check in a testy, personal debate with Sen. John Kerry, the president asserted, "That answer almost made me scowl."Several answers brought Bush's emotions to the surface, for better or worse, as he sought to curb Kerry's momentum.
The question that hung over the second of their three debates was whether Bush's aggressive, hyper style was an effective tool or a damaging habit - an extension of his disastrous first debate performance. Reviews were mixed.
Bush "seemed wound a bit too tight. He was a little like Nixon - sort of jumping out of his suit," said David Niven, political science professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. "He looked bad on the TV close-ups."
"Kerry was way too wordy and Bush was folksy, feisty," said Charles Franklin, political science professor at the University of Wisconsin. "Bush looked comfortable, and produced a plausible story line."
That's got to be the first time anyone ever said Richard Nixon seemed too lively. Posted by Orrin Judd at October 8, 2004 11:36 PM
Fournier's yet another well-known AP anti-Bush reporter. . . .
Posted by: Twn at October 8, 2004 11:46 PMWhile I think Bush was just fine tonight, the comments bring to mind what someone (can't remember who) said about GHW Bush when he had to debate Geraldine: he looked like he was being electrocuted.
Posted by: jim hamlen at October 8, 2004 11:53 PMI thought Bush did very well tonight. So it is interesting to see most sites acknowlege this but NRO and the DU claiming Bush got creamed. I just wonder if this Friday night event will sway anybody.
Posted by: AWW at October 8, 2004 11:56 PMWait a minute. David Niven has been reincarnated as a professor at Florida Atlantic University?
Posted by: Joe at October 9, 2004 12:18 AMDuh, Mr. Fournier, the "almost made me scowl" line was an attempted JOKE.
Although it didn't go over well, it at least showed that Bush can laugh at himself.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at October 9, 2004 1:46 AMPresident Bush smirked . . . fought to keep his emotions in check . . . sought to curb Kerry's momentum . . . disastrous first debate performance.
Nope, no liberal bias here, eh?
Posted by: Mike Morley at October 9, 2004 6:24 AM