# Why wait? --the very,very first analysis of the Bush/Kerry debates...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wait-the-very-very-first-analysis-of-the-bush-kerry-debates/265514>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 22, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wait-the-very-very-first-analysis-of-the-bush-kerry-debates/265514 "2004-09-22T17:13:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![galen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecc23a/32.png) [@galen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wait-the-very-very-first-analysis-of-the-bush-kerry-debates/265514/21 "2004-09-23T04:07:09Z")

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The unfortunate truth is that the so-called “debates” favor those who can make clever folksy one-liners and categorical statements which cannot be verified in the course of the debate.

Thoughful candidates who need to develop serious ideas are at an extreme disadvantage.

Think of the times you sat for hours with another thoughful person and discussed serious issues for hours on end.

Remember when the extremely knowledgeable Al Gore lost to Bush,the supreme ignoramus, in the 2000 “debates”.

These things can only really work if the two candidates sit for hours (and knowledgable people listen for hours) and really discuss serious matters and all claims can be thouroghly be tested by objective moderators who can call candidates on the carpet for gross mistatements of fact.

These ninety minute “debates” are a cruel joke. All that is remembered is crap like, “I knew Jack Kennedy, and you’re no Jack Kennedy”.

Bush “wins”.

Disgusting.

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wait-the-very-very-first-analysis-of-the-bush-kerry-debates/265514/22 "2004-09-23T04:31:46Z")

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> [@Slithy Tove](#):
>
> I hope my worst expectation won’t be realized: a debate between a man who can’t form a complete sentence and a man who can’t give a straight answer.

Sad but accurate.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wait-the-very-very-first-analysis-of-the-bush-kerry-debates/265514/23 "2004-09-23T05:00:35Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Bush will come off as your neighbor next door, the guy you’d have a beer (O’Douls?) with at a block party. Kerry won’t.

And then tragically, many Americans will go off to the polls believing that their drunk neighbour is qualified to be President of the United States.

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