Kerry did great, especially given the "town hall" forum...

When it's Kerry and gwb with a moderator only, rather than fielding questions from an audience, Kerry will ratchet up his attack accordingly. Kerry kept his cool, and sounded very reasoned. gwb sounded angry and aggressive. Kerry looked sooooo much better in comparison.

I'm looking forward to their mano a mano exchange in debate #3. Kerry will have him for lunch. MKJ

OMG, I started a thread instead of responding...sorry, folks, I am caffeine deprived!! MKJ (on edit)

* did not connect with people, he lectured them. * couldn't remember the questioners names. Kerry connected with the questioner and even remembered Nickie's name several questions later.

Who wants to be lectured and shouted at? Bush spoke to the questioners and to the audience as a superior patriarch, not as an equal. * loses.

Where the audience have all signed loyalty oaths...otherwise, that advantage goes straight out the window (as we saw in several of the audience invitees last night)

add another layer of complexity to the candidates' interactions. They must address the citizen asking the question, AND the moderator, AND the local audience AND the television audience. This would be a hard format for any candidate, and JK handled it beautifully.

I have confidence that he will really take the pedal to the metal(loving these cliched phrases!!!!!) when the debate reverts back to...candidates...moderator and an audience that is not actively asking questions. MKJ

on edit..corrected my cliched phrase.:D

Kerry was in control, and he actually talked WITH people, not at them. He did as well tonight as he did last week. And he did even better at combatting criticism of him (handled the 'flip-flop' thing very well.

He did not resort to gimmicks or tricks like Gore did in 2000 or Bush has done so far. He was confident and stuck to the issues. He communicated well with the audience. He was personable and professional. Bush overcompensated last night and seemed to have gotten some pretty poor strategy advice. That, or he took the advice and turned wild-eyed. I truly think Bush made an ass out of himself by being too forceful, and I really can't see how this could win undecided voters (and yes, there are undecideds out there).