Ouch, Joe Scarborough cuts the spin

Joe Scarborough: "As far as the debate goes, I don't see how anybody could look at this debate and not score this a very clear win on points for John Kerry." "It was John Kerry's best performance ever."

Kate O'Beirne: "I thought the President was repetitive and reactive."

Mark Halperin: "The president was remarkably angry seeming"

Milbank and VandeHei: "Bush appeared perturbed when Kerry leveled some of his charges, scowling at times and looking away in apparent disgust at others."

ABC POLL ON WHO WON DEBATE: Kerry: 45 - Bush: 36 - Tie: 17

CNN/GALLUP POLL ON WHO WON DEBATE: Kerry: 53 - Bush: 37

CBS POLL ON WHO WON DEBATE: Kerry: 44 - Bush: 26 - Tie: 30

Mort Kondracke: "This is the President's turf, this is the place that the President is supposed to dominate, terror and the war in Iraq. I don't think he really dominated tonight. I think Kerry looked like a commander-in-chief."

Jonah Goldberg, National Review Online's the Corner: "The Bush campaign miscalculated on having the first night be foreign policy night."

Bob Schieffer: "The President was somewhat defensive in the beginning" "Kerry got off to a very good start."

Mark Shields: "The President showed a few times obvious anger"

Bill Kristol, Weekly Standard: "I think Kerry did pretty well tonight, he was forceful and articulate."

Andrea Mitchell: "This is the toughest we've ever seen John Kerry. He attacked the very core of the President's popularity. He's basically saying, who do you believe?" (MSNBC)

Tim Russert: "Tonight he seemed to find his voice for the Democratic view of the world."

Fred Barnes on FNC: "Kerry did very well and we will have a Presidential race from here on out."

Is that from last night, Dookie? I was wondering about that. I notice that overnight all of a sudden people weren't so sure who won. Joe's opening commentary just now on his show just now watch MUCH harsher than what he said last night. I wish I had an instant transcript.

it's really amazing, isn't it.

i was REALLY surprised. bush just seemed to lose interest. you could see him fading.

the one that got me was something to the effect " you already know what i think. what else do you want me to say?"

i really was shocked. glad, but shocked.

as for kerry. i think he's gotten his second wind and has finally moved beyond the "sound bite resume" that the republicans and the dems created for him.

take it home, bro!

Does anyone feel like Scarborough has changed his tune the past few weeks? I really can't stand the man. His beady little eyes make my skin crawl! These past few weeks though it seems like someone pulled the man aside and had a few words with him. He's really toned it down. I thought all Republicans stuck together thought thick and thin. Of course, there's that whole "liberal bias" thing.

I think he's an old time fiscal conservative who has some concerns about the current spending spree. I think he still supports Bush, but he doesn't seem to be willing to pretend that there is no elephant in the room. I'm not a big fan of him, but I watch him for the exercise of listening to someone I don't agree with. And he's more professional and respectful than those on another channel.

The transcript is out today. Here's what I was talking about:



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6173389/

I don't think I've ever so vehemently agreed with Joe Scarbarough in my life. Truly astonishing.

Perhaps Bush's own supporters will now finally see how this emporer never had any clothes to begin with.

You know, that was exactly how I felt when I heard it. It's why I had to post. Truly astonishing.

I have a friend who is not into all this political discussion stuff as I...and who never seems to have a solid opinion about any candidate.

But he is white and male...and like so many white, male Americans...he was tending toward Bush...although I suspected he was looking for a reason to switch to Kerry.

The debate did it!

And what do you suppose he found most memorable about the debate???


When I asked him that question, the first thing out of him mouth was a quote from Kerry:


"...I will hunt them (terrorists) down and I will kill them!"


Kerry used that expression twice.

Both times I winced.

But upon reflection...I guess there is a segment of the population that wanted to hear that notion...and wanted to hear it in those words.