THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, 2004

It strikes me as we begin this third round of face-to-face encounters (events too shallow to truly qualify as "debates"), that we as a nation are struggling to remain engaged. We don't expect to hear anything remarkable, their positions on most issues are already known, and we don't view either man as outstandingly charismatic or oratorically gifted. And while the media declares the voting public's frustration with the economy and domestic affairs may resoundingly decide the election, I don't agree -- Iraq and the war on is still the primary issue. However unexciting all of this is, as responsible citizens we have a duty to educate ourselves. So let's begin.


Q1. Can we have a safe and secure nation again?

I take issue with the premise right off the bat. America hasn't known a really deep level of security since it arrived on the world stage in the 1940's. Perhaps a more correct way to word this is -- when can we begin to be less afraid of a ist attack on American soil, on the scale of 9/11 or the school massacre at Beslan?

Kerry says, yes we can get there if we use the correct method. He says, "are we as safe as we ought to be?" and criticizes Bush's handling of homeland security issues. "I can wage a smarter, more effective war on ism. I will do it in the way Roosevelt, Reagan, and Keenedy did." Accused Bush again of being distracted away from Osama Bin Laden, and "outsourcing" the pursuit.

Bush says, yes we can if we pursue ists aggressively and spread freedom and liberty. He bragged on the Afghan election. Attacked Kerry's comments on reducing ism to "nuisance" level. Bush says we're doing everything we can against ism, says he has never claimed OBL was not much of a threat.

On this point all Kerry has to do is build on our frustration with the costs of the Iraq war. So one's reaction to Kerry necessarily depends on whether you think the Iraq war is a failure or not. I don't think he's made the case that he's going to do a better job in Iraq or in the homeland than Bush would in a second term. I don't know why JFK doesn't bring up his success in the BCCI scandal as a senator. I'm really mystified by that since in my view it's much more of a positive credential as a -fighter than his Vietnam experience.


Q2. How did we end up with a flu vaccine shortage?

Bush says, don't get a flu shot if you're healthy and young. Attaches blame to lawsuit abuse discouraging more companies from producing vaccine.

Kerry says it's a symptom of a broken health care system. Lack of health insurance coverage. Blames Bush. Bush says Kerry's plan can't be paid for. Fast forward.


Q3. How to keep the pledge of no new taxes on the middle class without increasing the federal debt?

Kerry said Bush is unique in abandoning fiscal discipline. Not sure about unique, but certainly Bush is wide open to criticism on wild federal spending... but Kerry does not inspire as a slasher of spending.

Bush attacks Kerry's voting record on approval of waiving spending caps. Says Kerry proposes billions in new spending. This one is a draw and pretty boring at that.


Q3. Question is about jobs lost in America. Bush puts all his eggs in the education basket. Kerry lambasts the President on every negative economic statistic.


Q4. "Is the President entirely responsible for lost jobs?"

Kerry says no, but the administration must do what is possible to encourage job creation. Says he's going to lower corporate taxes 5% across the board -- whoa! Complains that Bush should have fought on behalf of Boeing when Airbus was winning more business, implying Airbus didn't play fair.

Bush says we gave given Pell grants to 1 million more people. Outlines tax changes, elimination of marriage penalty. Accuses Kerry of a lack of fiscal discipline in his senate voting record.

Kerry defends his record, says he voted for tax cuts including Reagan's. Bush says Kerry "sits on the far left bank" of the mainstream, and Kennedy is the more conservative senator from Massachusetts.


Q5. "Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?"

Bush... "I don't know." Says rights should be honored and lifestyles tolerated without changing our views on the definition of marriage. Promotes the constitutional marriage amendment as more democratic than allowing courts to make the decisions.

Kerry .. "We're all God's children.... if you talk to anybody, it's not a choice." Says "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman." But we can't discriminate against gays, states can manage the laws adequately.

Of course I prefer Bush's position here.


Q6. "Catholic archbishops say you can't vote for abortion and stem-cell research."

Kerry... I'm Catholic but can't legislate my articles of faith. Believes in choice. I won't allow Roe V. Wade to be repealed. "I was an altar boy, and it made a difference to me!" Quotes James, "faith without works is ," everything you do in public life has to be guided by your faith but "without transferring it in any official way to other people.... [quoting John Kennedy] 'God's work must truly be our own'... that's the test of public service."

Bush says reasonable people can agree on ways to reduce the number of abortions. Ban against partial birth abortions made sense, but Kerry voted against it. Promote adoptions and maternity group homes and abstinence programs.

I support the President's rhetoric but I think he's not pushing nearly as hard as he could be to "promote a culture of life."


Q7. Health insurance costs rising... whose fault is it?

I can pretty much write their responses for them. Fast forward. Bush again attacks Kerry's senate record, says he's not sponsored one bill on health care.

Kerry defends himself... claims work on early childhood health care.


Q8. Extending government health care programs... Kerry said he can pay for it through tax increases on the rich?

Kerry says his plan is simple. Gives you the choice, "it's not a gov't plan." Open Congressmen's coverage to everyone if they choose to buy into it. Give small businesses tax credits to cover employees. Sounds pretty good. He doesn't answer the question of funding however.

Bush says more government involvement will lead to lower quality and more gov't control. Good rhetoric but no new plan proposed.

Bush defends record on increased VA spending. I think Kerry won this round as it sounds like he's actually thought about this issue, way more than Bush. I definitely have questions on funding.


Q9. Will reforming social security mean another huge increase in the federal debt?

Bush says all seniors will get their benefits. The cost of no reform is much higher than the cost of reform.

Kerry says private accounts would be a disaster. CBO says privitization would require massive reductions in benefits. Says he will not privatize.


Q10. Greenspan says Social Security can't pay future benefits without reform. Will you take no action?

Kerry says avoiding tax cuts for those over $200K income will solve it. We'll make adjustments if we run into trouble later. Attacks Bush again for losing jobs, uniquely in history, evidently.

Bush claims Kerry voted to tax SS benefits. Says current tax brackets are fair, and Kerry opposed current tax rubric. Says economic growth is due to tax relief.


Q11. Up to 8,000 people cross our borders illegally each day.

Bush - it's a serious problem, also a human rights issue. Lists improvements in border security. People coming here for economic reasons. Introduces temporary worker card for migrants, as long as no American wants the job, to bring the illegal workers into the light. Good idea in my opinion -- not the same as amnesty or naturalization of illegals.

Kerry - says increases in cost of living more than offsets the benefits of tax cuts for the middle class. Accuses bush of breaking his promise to reform immigration. Supports guest worker program. down on illegal hiring. Offers "earned citizenship" for aliens who have lived here and obeyed the law.

Bush says borders are more secure now than before 9/11.


Q12. Minimum wage hasn't increased in seven years.

Kerry -- needs to increase but blocked by GOP leadership in Congress. Wants to raise it to $7/hr. Says Bush worked hard to give rish people tax cuts while doesn't fight for working women. Increase would increase consumption and boost the economy.

Bush says he supported a plan from Mitch McConnell. Talks about No Child Left Behind. Bush really believes the answer to more jobs is better education.


Q13. Kerry said Bush never said whether he wants to overturn Roe V Wade. Will you?

Bush said he'll have no litmus test for federal judges.

Kerry said he would not appoint any judge who wants to repeal a constitutional right, including that for abortion. Switches to stats about problems in minority communities, ties it to lack of full funding of NCLB from Bush.

Bush says education spending increased 49%. That's not enough if you're a liberal.

Kerry again rails on the Bush tax cuts.


Q14. Draft... strain on elisted men, Reserves, Nat'l Guard in lengthy deployments.

Kerry -- reflection of President's bad judgement on foreign policy. Wants to add 2 active Army divisions, double Special Forces units. Need real alliances to share burdens. I'm very skeptical on this point which Kerry continues to insist is a major plank in his platform, since there is no ally with a massive armed force waiting for the election of a Democrat to deploy into Iraq.

Bush -- men in the field do not view extended deployments as a back-door draft. They understand it's necessary. "I will never turn over foreign policy decisions to other nations."

Kerry says he's never said he would defer to other nations. We need a "truth standard".


Q15. Ban on assault weapons. Fast forward.

Q16. Affirmative action... have we moved along to the point where we don't need to take race or gender into account?

Kerry -- we still need AA. Still have discrimination. We've made progress but we have a long way to go. Opposes quotas that may overreach. Accused Bush of not meeting with NAACP and congressional Black caucus.

Bush -- says he did meet with congressional black caucus. Emphasized education policy. Fast forward.


Q17. Iraq... you said you "checked with a higher authority."

Bush... I pray a lot. My faith is personal. I pray for wisdom and strength, and for safety for the troops. Freedom of religion in America. "Prayer and religion sustain me. I receive calmness in the storms of the Presidency." Don't want to impose my religion on others. "God wants everybody to be free. That's part of my foreign policy. Freedom is a gift from the Almighty."

Kerry... I respect all of Bush's remarks. Difference people find different ways to express "connectedness with their higher power." Says he was taught the two greatest commandments - love the Lord you God and love you neighbor as yourself. Says he and Bush live out their faith differently.


Q18. America came together after 9/11, but now we are polarized. Will you set a priority on national unity?

Kerry -- I thought the President did a terrific job in the days after the attack, was moved by the address to Congress. But we're not there today. Bush presides over the most divided America in Kerry's memory. We have to come together, I have done that in the Senate. Will work with McCain to continue reforming campaign finance.

Bush -- partisanship in Washington is his biggest dissappointment. NCLB was a good bipartisan effort as were the tax cut bill. Blames special interest lobby groups. But don't we have those in Texas as well? Emphasized that McCain endorses Bush. Preach it bro.


Q19. What is the most important thing you've learned from strong women in your families?

Bush -- "Listen to them. Stand up straight and don't scowl." People see a strong compassionate woman in Laura. Told story of how they met.

Kerry -- we both married up. Maybe me more than others. Whoops! Mother passed away a couple of years ago... she said "Remember, integrity... integrity... integrity." Cut to Teresa sitting next to Michael J. Fox. Daughters and wife are filled with that sense of right and wrong, keep me honest. I admire Bush as a father. We are both very lucky.


Closing statements.....

Kerry -- America is being tested, we need to be united... tested strong leadership that can calm the waters... health care for all... greater equality... no veto on our security ceded to other nations... we can reach higher... embark on that journey with me.... Stronger here at home, respected in the world, safer forever!

Bush --- painting in oval office of West Texas... painter lives on the "sunrise side of the mountains". Tone is somewhat quiet. Insist on excellence in classrooms... healthcare available and affordable... heal the hurt in neighborhoods... firm resolve in the face of the enemy... spread freedom and liberty which will transform societies.... "I'm askin' fer yer vote."


During the handshake phase at the end... maybe I'm imagining this but I think Bush and Kerry are more relaxed around each other and seem to respect each other more. Both guys seemed fairly relaxed and confident. Definitely a different persona for Bush compared to the first debate when he was getting Gore-like in his expressions.

I think the President acquitted himself well. His expressed philosophy carries more weight with me than Kerry's, which is a tempered conservatism. However Bush now has a record on domestic policy and it diverges in very stark ways from his words tonight. We are spending like crazy and implementing new spending programs in the past 4 years, on top of existing entitlements that are themselves requiring more resources each year. He speaks forthrightfully on his prolife stance, but we need much more action at the federal level to drastically reduce the number of abortions. So it is troubling that the man leading the way in America on social and fiscal conservative, is not forcefully moving towards truly conservative policies on all fronts.

Kerry also tried to lay some claim to a conservative streak in his record, identifying with Ronald Reagan a number of times, which is something no liberal would ever have done in the 80's. But his overall stances on taxes, and firm liberal positions on abortion, bioethics, and social security, definitely don't resonate with me.

Although Bush's lack of dignified facial expressions in the first debate turned me off, he was much more convincing as a warrior against than Kerry and that is still the deciding issue for me. I'd rather have his attitude, face set like flint to achieve victory, even if there are mistakes and missteps along the way, than the path set forth by Kerry to insist on a "global test" for future military engagements, and imploring allies to join us to finish the job in our "wrong" war in Iraq.