Tweet
As has been discussed on this board and in the press quite a bit over the election season, it is well-known that the Bush team is very picky about who is allowed into his campaign events -- you are required to sign an oath of loyalty, etc. Kerry, in contrast, is not as strict about who can attend (which has resulted in some dissent at some of his events).
The result is that Bush whistlestops are nothing more than a love-in, with softball questions lobbed his way. You all saw the result in the first debate when Bush was, for the first time this election season, challenged on any of his points and policies -- he looked flustered, confused and irritated. Kerry, more accustomed to getting hard questions, kicked his ass.
Do you really want a guy who needs to be surrounded by "yes men" to make a good appearance? Bush is at his best when the circumstances are tightly controlled -- when they are not, he can't hang (which might also explain why he has had less press conferences than any president since press conferences became a significant way of communicating from the White House).
Outside of the first debate, the only moment I can think of where Bush was in a similarly unscripted and uncontrolled environment is the seven minutes that immediately followed the second plane hitting the WTC shown in F9/11 -- and in that seven minutes, Bush had the same confused, troubled look he did during the first debate.
I believe that how one deals with adversity on his or her feet is germane to the question of what kind of a leader he or she is. The two times I've seen Bush deal with adversity, the immediate reaction has been less than reassuring.
Just a thought.
The result is that Bush whistlestops are nothing more than a love-in, with softball questions lobbed his way. You all saw the result in the first debate when Bush was, for the first time this election season, challenged on any of his points and policies -- he looked flustered, confused and irritated. Kerry, more accustomed to getting hard questions, kicked his ass.
Do you really want a guy who needs to be surrounded by "yes men" to make a good appearance? Bush is at his best when the circumstances are tightly controlled -- when they are not, he can't hang (which might also explain why he has had less press conferences than any president since press conferences became a significant way of communicating from the White House).
Outside of the first debate, the only moment I can think of where Bush was in a similarly unscripted and uncontrolled environment is the seven minutes that immediately followed the second plane hitting the WTC shown in F9/11 -- and in that seven minutes, Bush had the same confused, troubled look he did during the first debate.
I believe that how one deals with adversity on his or her feet is germane to the question of what kind of a leader he or she is. The two times I've seen Bush deal with adversity, the immediate reaction has been less than reassuring.
Just a thought.
Comment