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I voted for Kerry, although I'll admit I didn't see the entire debate. I watched from about 9:15 -10:00 while I had dinner at work, then listened to the last 10-15 minutes on my cab ride home.
First, it was intriguing to note my different feelings when I saw and heard the two, versus when I simply heard them. I'm an unequivocal Kerry supporter, and I though Kerry came off brilliantly on television. However, on the radio I found myself more sympathetic toward Bush's voice. It might be because I like the familiarity and comfort of a Southern-toned voice, but I thought it was worth noting.
Anyway, overall I thought Kerry was best able to express himself eloquently and effectively. Bush relied heavily on catch phrases and repetition, something that has strengthened his messages in the past, but this time it seemed more like a crutch. He had little else to say aside from his platitudes. A huge mistake he made was still drawing links between 9/11 and terrorism, and Iraq. Kerry corrected him and he responded with a flustered, "I know who attacked us!" It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. I've never seen Bush appear so flustered and defensive.
Oppositely, Kerry appeared calm and eloquent. He expressed himself clearly and intelligently without getting overly complex. I was worry he would get to far into minutiae, but he stayed (the gods will strike me for being cliche) "on message." I'm eager to read all of the news reports, particularly where the conservative publications will pick at Kerry.
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