Thoughts on the Second Presidential Debate

You can check the transcript of the debate here:

- I just don't like Charlie Gibson. Never have. I can't explain it - just a gut dislike.

- The first question was from Cheryl Otis. I chuckled at that because I can recall some comic (I can't recall who - maybe Dennis Miller) was bemoaning the town hall format because the candidates end up taking questions from "some Otis."

- If you played a drinking game where you have to imbibe every time Kerry mentioned having "a plan" - by the end of the night EMS would be pumping your stomach.

- On the question about Americans traveling abroad and the anti-Americanism they have to face, I'm glad Bush mentioned Reagan because anti-Americanism was rampant then too. I do wish that one of the candidates pointed out that maybe one of the causes of this anti-Americanism is just envy. The United States is the land of opportunity. Even highly developed countries like England and Canada see thousands of people flocking to the US. If we are such a bad place - how come everyone wants to live here?

- On the question of a nuclear Iran - I wish one of the candidates also mentioned holding Russia responsible for selling them the nuclear capability and building their nuclear plants.

- When Kerry said that he was going to run a foreign policy like President Reagan - Bush should have hammered home the fact that Senator Kerry fought Reagan tooth and nail on everything regarding foreign policy. And now he says he would be just like Reagan?

- Senator Kerry, "That's why I will never stop at anything to hunt down and kill the terrorists." Unless the terrorists are in Iraq - then Kerry would have suggested diplomacy with Saddam and inspectors from the UN.

- When Kerry said, "I'm a lawyer too" - I wish Bush countered with "I'm not a lawyer. My advanced degree from Harvard was in business administration."

- On the question about environmentalism I wish Bush spoke of freedom. The Eastern European Communist countries were environmental nightmares. Now that they have freedom - their environments have drastically improved to the point where the "iron curtain" literally is becoming an eco-tourism zone. In Iraq the marshes are being restored. This is the area that many biblical scholars believe was the home of the garden of Eden and today because Saddam Hussein was driven from power the area is being restored. Bush should have spoke of freedom because free people all value clean air and clean water.

- This comment got me pretty pissed:

KERRY: Boy, to listen to that -- the president, I don't think, is living in a world of reality with respect to the environment.

Now, if you're a Red Sox fan, that's OK. But if you're a president, it's not.

I'm a Red Sox fan and let me just say "Screw you jackass!"

- Bush should have noted that the Kyoto treaty was voted down in the Senate by 97-0. Now Kerry either voted against it or he abstained. Either way he wasn't standing up for the accord.

- Bush actually does get that $84 in income from a timber company. The main point that needs to be made is that you don't want to set up barriers to small business. If a small businessman is making $197,000 - you don't want to incent him to go no farther by putting up higher tax brackets at $200,000. What incentive does this guy have to grow his business and add more employees?

- When it came to stem cells and Kerry invoked Michael J. Fox (who Kerry called Michael Keaton the other day) I sorta wished that Bush said something like, "I love Michael J. Fox. John Candy and Michael J. Fox are my two favorite Canadian actors and I feel for his current sickness but I don't think it's wise to count on Hollywood types for policy decisions whether it be Michael J. Fox on stem cells or Barbara Streisand on noise pollution." (I know that this comment probably would not have played very well but anyway.... )

- On the question about Supreme Court appointees - I will probably tackle this one in more depth later in the day because it is the one that really got under my skin.