The Command Post
2004 US Presidential Election
« Bush Ahead In Ohio, Fla. And Pa. | Main | TCP Chat Opens At 8:45 p.m. EDT »
September 30, 2004
Debates | First presidential debate to focus on foreign policy

HAARETZ/AP: First presidential debate to focus on foreign policy

The first presidential debate and its focus on foreign policy and security gives both President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry opportunities to dig into each other’s record and patch their own weaknesses on Iraq.

On the campaign trail, Bush and Kerry describe Iraq in terms that could make voters wonder if they’re talking about different countries. Bush sees progress toward stability, democratic elections and civic life. Kerry sees increasing instability, little reconstruction and terrorist havens.

Bush has been portraying the Massachusetts Democrat as too indecisive to take the bold action needed to go after terrorists and evildoers. He can trumpet the successful capture of Saddam Hussein and steps he’s taken to improve security at home.

“There’s an opportunity for him to talk about his vision for the war on terror, describe the way forward in Iraq and, more broadly, in expanding freedom and liberty throughout the greater Mideast,” said Bush strategist Karl Rove.

Nevertheless, Wayne Fields, director of American culture studies at Washington University in St. Louis, said “Bush has got to be more detailed” about his policies and goals in Iraq.

“Where are we going to get the troops to go there, and what’s the cost?” he said.



Posted by Laurence Simon at September 30, 2004 11:51 AM | TrackBack
Comments
Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (Click here should you choose to sign out.)

As you post your comment, please mind our simple comment policy: we welcome all perspectives, but require that comments be both civil and respectful. We also ask that you avoid the extensive use of profanity, racist terms (neither of which we consider civil or respectful), and other boorish language.

We reserve the right to delete any comment, and to prohibit you from commenting on this site, if we feel you have broached this policy. As a courtesy, we will first send you an email noting a violation so you understand the boundaries. This will occur only once, however, and should we ban you from our comment forums we expect that ban to be permanent.

We also will frown upon those who suggest that we ban other individuals for voicing unpopular opinions, should those opinions be voiced in a civil and respectful manner. The point of our comment threads is to provide a forum for spirited though civil and respectful discourse … it is not to provide a forum in which everyone will agree with your point of view.

If you can live by these rules, welcome aboard. If not, then we’re sorry it didn’t work out, and thanks for visiting The Command Post.


Remember me?

(You may use HTML tags for style)