From: eyc@acpub.duke.edu (EMIL CHUCK)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.bush,alt.rush-limbaugh,talk.politics.misc,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.elections,alt.news-media
Subject: The First Battle of October
Summary: Comments on the first Presidential Debate
Keywords: Presidential debate, Clinton, Bush, Perot, St. Louis
Date: 12 Oct 92 23:12:22 GMT
Followup-To: alt.politics.bush
Organization: Duke University; Durham, N.C.

I am replying to the following commentators regarding the Presidential
debates:
	isbell@ai.mit.edu (Charles L. Isbell)
	ds8k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Donpaul C. Stephens)
	StarOwl@uiuc.edu (Michael Adams)
	howard@netcom.com (Howard Berkey)
	shackeld@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu (David M. Shackleford)
	eisimps@cie.uoregon.edu (Eileen Simpson)
	ai065@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Thomas Hill)

My perspective on this debate is going to be a bit different. I listened
to the debate more than I watched it. I was doing a point-by-point
transcript of the responses, what the candidates stressed, and what they
emphasized. I also listened to C-SPAN coverage immediately after the
live debate.

I. The debate itself was very instructive as to what the candidates
stood for without much negative mud-slinging. The questions were very
well thought-out on the part of the entire panel. [This according to
Sandy Vanocher Monday morning on C-SPAN.]

II. Perot would be declared the winner of the debate because of his
candor and ability to connect with the audience. When I did see him on
TV, he was not looking straight into the camera, but right at Jim
Lehrer. On a TV debate, this would otherwise be quite annoying, but his
candor and personality engaged the audience enough for him to win the
hearts of American voters. He has now regained stature as a force to be
reckoned with in this election.

III. Bush is also a winner of the debate. As I have told my friends,
Perot won "artistic impression" while Bush won "technical merit" if this
debate could be characterized as a figure skating competition. Perot did
not neutralize Bush. On the contrary, Bush launched a huge ICBM when he
reminded HRP that the US and Russia had achieved a deal concerning
nuclear weapons. [Sorry about the pun, but I had to do it.] Perot did
win on sound bites, but I don't know if you ask all his supporters if
they think a $.10/year for five years tax on gasoline is really a good
idea. Besides, who are "the people who will be helped the most" by this
tax? Who are the "working people who will get the jobs created because
of this tax"? This country is not the size of Germany, France, Spain, or
any other individual European country. We have to transport tons of food
from farm to market on trucks and rail. Increase the cost for gasoline,
you will increase the cost for food, and you have just socked the poor
since now they can no longer afford to feed themselves.

IV. Clinton was helped by Perot, but he didn't help himself. His
greatest moment was in fighting back the charges of anti-patriotism
(which again Bush did not attack him on this point). It is interesting
that he cites Prescott Bush as being right to stand up to Joe McCarthy
and others in this group slander George for getting the help of his
father to start his own business; but I digress. He however was NOT as
well prepared as I had expected. In a broadcast debate, the last thing
you should do is pause. Now once is okay if you have to think about an
answer, but if I counted correctly, Clinton paused four times in this
debate. For a campaign that loves to respond immediately to charges and
allegations and questions, a pause like those Clinton made is very
ironic and gives him a perception not of being Presidential or
"open-minded" (which is the last thing you want to be in a debate), but
contrived and groping for the "correct" answer.

Clinton also said he would not support sending ground troops
into Sarajevo. However, recall that Bill said he would approve of
bombing raids to Sarajevo. Militarily, this doesn't seem to make any
sense. One cannot just bomb the hell out of a city without knowing who
one's enemies are or what the objectives of the mission are also. Does
Clinton really think that members of the Air Force can achieve peace in
Bosnia-Hercegovina from a few hundred to thousand feet up? Bush's
greatest moment was his description of the situations in
Bosnia-Hercegovina and Somalia; Perot said this was a problem for the
Europeans and not for the US -- his biggest gaffe came here: "our forces
are not made up of the beautiful people." Clinton basically said, "me
too" in his rebuttal of the question, with a few proposals to "lift the
embargo from the Bosnians" which need to be thought out by everyone in
foreign policy. Clinton's response to Bush's AIDS question that he was
proud to have had two HIV+ speakers at the DNC really belittled the
value of their speeches to me. Bush did cite Mary Fisher (who addressed
the RNC) as Magic's replacement and Perot conceded Fisher was a good
choice.

V. Listening to a radio debate gives more attention to the words the
candidates gave rather than the images (Bill "looked to Bush when
attacking on the patriot issue, then turned to the camera..."). This
does play well on television, but to me it does seem very rehearsed. On
the radio, you don't get this distraction; in fact, the response may
actually be more effective on the radio (or just paying attention to
audio). However, you hear the points clearer if you pay attention to
audio than if you watch the debate.

VI. Immediate viewer response. Perot won. That's it. On C-SPAN, more
than two-thirds of the calls coming in the hour immediately after the
debate said they were seriously looking at Perot or going to vote for
him now. The rest said they liked BUSH!!! It wasn't until they had
replayed the debate again that we had a good number of Clinton
supporters call in.

VII. Drinking game. For the next Presidential debate, for every time
Bush says "tax and spend" all Democrats must drink a beer; for every
time, Clinton says "invest" all Republicans must drink a beer. Have fun.
And program your VCR.

-- 
Emil Thomas Chuck		eyc@acpub.duke.edu
Biomedical Engineer 1993	Never take me too seriously.
I don't have to have a 4.0 GPA to succeed in life because I'm 
good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.
Newsgroups: alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.elections