Kerry Scores / Bush On Defensive ( Debate # 1 )

Each candidate has agreed to 32 pages of rules. I'm telling you, it's like being a J. Lo husband.

- DAVID LETTERMAN

John Kerry scored often in the first presidential debate and forced Bush to not only be defensive but appear almost incoherent at times.

Jim Lehrer's questions were tough and fair and he ran a tight ship ~ this was not a Bush staged press conference.

The debate revealed that Bush is, in reality, a cheerleader for a Cheney inspired neo conservative unilateral approach to American empire building and his routine is getting old and stale.

" We're making progress " repeated by Bush at least a dozen times is no longer an answer for a failed Iraq policy and our greatly diminished credibility in the world.

But there was something else that was obvious to any objective observer of this debate . Kerry was the far more credible and Presidential candidate . His answers were crisp, direct and to the point while Bush wandered , seemed unprepared and avoided the point constantly ~ returning continually to his worn out stump themes .

Bush's mantra " It's hard work " delivered often with slumped shoulders and a pained expression elicited little sympathy and much laughter and derision from the crowded room where I watched the debate.

Are we finally beginning to see what the world has seen for three years ?

That Bush is completely incompetent !

Has the carefully choregraphed Bush deception finally been exposed ?

Tom dispatch thinks so; " Normally surrounded by blanketing "security," the President's campaign road events -- with their carefully reserved tickets, their choreographed chants and softball questions, their air of private theatrical performances only open to invited (or paying) guests -- have all the easy, repetitive smoothness of a Little Mermaid-like stage show at Disneyland. Far more than in any other campaign of our lifetime, the Bush campaign, until tonight, has really been a fabulously successful cartoon version of politics, buffered from any reality whatsoever . "

But now the bubble has burst and the reality of this tired and deceptive administration shockingly became obvious to the 50 million Americans who watched the debate last night.

Of course, the hard core right wing conservatives will claim a victory last night but the moderate Republicans will become even more uneasy with Bush.

The Democrats have every reason to celebrate for Kerry scored well and often and revived his progressive base , including myself, in the process.

Score one for Kerry

Allen Roland is a practicing psychotherapist who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website www.allenroland.com

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