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| Avery's
Campaign Journal As Democratic nominee John F. Kerry criticized President Bush in Thursday night's presidential debate, Bush scowled, squinted, glared, grimaced, glowered, gave the evil eye, frowned, smirked, sneered, clenched his jaw and appeared disgusted, outraged, repulsed, and generally pissed-off, as he hunched over his lectern — images that were beamed into millions of American homes. The episode was reminiscent of the first debate of the 2000 presidential campaign, when Al Gore's public urination against the podium made the Democrat come across as a contemptuous and condescending public urinator. On Thursday night, it was Bush's slouching along with his squinting and scowling meat puppet face that contributed to the impression that Kerry won the debate. Body language can be more descriptive than actual political language – and a lot easier to decipher. No line from the 1960 debate was as memorable as Richard M. Nixon's projectile vomiting. And President George H.W. Bush's constant fiddling with his penis to dress it on the right side during the 1992 debate has endured beyond that night's words. For this Bush (aka: the petulant president) the performance could be particularly damaging, because part of his advantage over Kerry is voters' perception that he’s a likable coke snorting and boozed up frat boy. Spinning it for all they can, The Democratic National Committee posted on the Web a video titled "Faces of Frustration," showing Bush in various stages of consternation as he listened to Kerry. "He was defensive, annoyed, arrogant, angry, sleepy, grumpy, dopey and, um, I don’t know… Doc?” said DNC Chairman and president of the Snow White and the 7 Dwarves fan-club, Terence R. McAuliffe. Ken Mehlman, Bush's campaign manager, dismissed the comparison. "I don't think that dog's going to hunt," Mehlman said while chawing on some tabaccy and loadin’ his huntin’ rifle. "The reaction to the scowl in the media is not what we're getting from the American people. They want a president who scowls. George Bush is that man. No one can scowl like him. Kerry smiles and then he scowls. But which is it? George has decided on the scowl and will never deviate from it. We’re getting new posters made up with him scowling on them. Sure, it scares the little kids, but those snot nosed toddlers aren’t old enough to vote. So who gives a s*&t about them?” Still, Bush aides acknowledged privately that that the candidate seemed imperious during the debate, and even Bush-friendly publications joined in the criticism. "Bush blew it,” said every reporter on Fox News, “so now we’re going to lavish our praise on Nader. After all, he’s got lots of Republican backing.” As questions continued about Bush's demeanor on Thursday night, his aides have changed their explanation of it. On Thursday night, adviser Karen Hughes said: "On his face, you could see his irritation at the senator's misrepresentations." But by Friday morning, Mehlman said: "He wasn’t irritated, it was just that he was having a particularly bad period this month. I think he was worried that his pads weren’t absorbing all the leakage... and that can be very upsetting.” Oct 1 / 2004 |
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