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W
stands for walloped.
The three Presidential debates were eye-openers for those who had
doubts about John Kerry=s
resolve and his ability to become President of the United States.
Instead of the wishy-washy flip-flopper that the Bush campaign ads, Fox
News, and conservative talk radio has portrayed, Kerry showed himself to
be competent, confident, and on top of the issues. While President Bush
wasn=t
as bumbling and hesitant in the second and third debates, Kerry
continued to be more intelligent, concise, and on point. A former ice
hockey player, Kerry is basking in his 3-0 hat trick victory in the
debates.
While Bush came across better as far as style than he did during
the first debate, don=t
forget that the bar was set very low. His answers were still lacking as
far as substance. Bush=s
only answer to a struggling economy is tax cuts that primarily benefit
the wealthiest one percent of Americans. He kept emphasizing education
as a solution to the problems of unemployment and outsourcing, but that=s
of little help to a factory worker who just got laid off and has to
support three kids right now. It=s
apparent why Bush tries to keep himself in a bubble and avoids press
conferences and tough interviews. While he comes across as likeable to
most Americans, he clearly is deficient when asked tough questions.
The more that people get to see of John Kerry, the more they
realize that the negative ads against him are based in Fantasyland.
During the first two debates, he forcefully reminded the
President that it was Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda that attacked America
on 9/11, not Saddam Hussein. He also showed that he has a better handle
on homeland security when it comes to protecting our ports and nuclear
facilities and funding police and fire houses as first responders.
During the third debate, it was clear that Kerry had a much better
handle on the economic problems that face our country and that he has
specific solutions to address those problems.
During all three debates, Kerry connected with the
audience and did not come across as aloof and cold. On Thursday night,
he spoke poignantly about his faith and his relationship with his
family. He displayed a sense of humor when he joked about Amarrying
up.@
Most importantly, he came across as Presidential.
This was the confident and personable John Kerry that the voters
in Iowa and New Hampshire saw during the primaries. It=s
also the John Kerry that those who have seen him on the campaign trail
have admired.
Last month, I attended a Kerry campaign rally at the University
of Pennsylvania. There was a huge, enthusiastic turnout. Kerry inspired
confidence through his style and message. He didn=t
just throw out campaign slogans; he gave specifics as to homeland
security, the Iraq war, and issues affecting young people and college
students.
While John Kerry=s
performance in the debates hasn=t
clinched the election, it has caused a significant shift in the polls
and stemmed the tide of the Bush momentum from the Republican
Convention. Right-wing pundits were ready to pounce and say Astick
a fork in Kerry, he=s
done.@
Now, their desperate mantra is that America is electing a leader, not a
debater. Clearly, it=s
a horserace again.
Any logical thinking person watching the debates had to come out
of it with a favorable view of Kerry=s
performance. Kerry=s
known as a closer. During the Presidential debates, he showed why. --------------------
----------------------------------
------------------------------------------ Larry
Atkins, a lawyer and writer, has written over 200 Op-Eds, articles, and
essays for many publications, including the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science
Monitor, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Dallas Morning News, Detroit News,
Indianapolis Star, Kansas City Star, Los Angeles Daily News, National
Public Radio (Commentaries for the national versions of Morning Edition
and Only a Game), Newsday, Philadelphia Inquirer and Inquirer Sunday
Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and The
Writer Magazine. He has taught editorial writing as an adjunct professor
at Temple University, and he now is an adjunct journalism professor at
Arcadia University. His e-mail address is larryLTatkins@aol.com
This article is copyrighted by Larry Atkins and is an updated
version of an Op-Ed that he wrote for the Philadelphia Metro. Permission
is granted to forward this or to place it on a website or in print as
long as the article is included intact, including this statement. Published
in OpEdNews.com. |
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