Bush Wins Debate Round 2 with Effective Strategy and Contrasts Kerry's Record

In the second presidential debate, Republican candidate George Bush secured a victory by employing a well-defined strategy that focused on contrasting Kerry's record, capitalizing on his opponent's contradictions, and showcasing Bush's own leadership strength. Bush's approach, likened to Joe Louis's 1946 battle plan against Billy Conn, involved relentlessly pushing Kerry on his record of flip-flopping on the war and advocating for increased taxes. This strategy allowed Bush to effectively exploit Kerry's inconsistencies, particularly on the war in Iraq, where Kerry initially stated that Saddam Hussein was a threat before denouncing Bush for being "preoccupied with Iraq, where there wasn't a threat."

Key Takeaways:

• Bush's debate plan centered on opposing Kerry's record of flip-flopping on the war and advocating for increased taxes, effectively highlighting his opponent's contradictions.
• Kerry's policy of holding a summit to address disagreements with France, Germany, and Russia was challenged by Bush, who questioned what the Democrat would say to those countries that show up to the summit, emphasizing the illogical nature of the policy.
• Bush successfully countered Kerry's complaints of "going it alone" by highlighting the support of Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi, and Aleksander Kwasniewski, showcasing his personal connections with these leaders.
• Kerry's attack on the Bushes' income tax return was based on incorrect information, with Annenberg admitting they were confused about the $84 item from a timber business, leaving Kerry out on a "hardwood limb."
• Bush avoided pointing out Mrs. Heinz Kerry's significantly lower tax rate compared to the Bushes, showing respect for his opponent despite the disparity.
• Kerry's gaffes, such as referring to Lubyanka Square as "Treblinka square," received little notice, while Bush's slips, such as calling Kerry "Kennedy" and using the phrase "Internets," drew more attention.
• Bush effectively delivered a body blow to Kerry by pointing out his lack of action on tort reform in the Senate, stating that Kerry should have shown up to vote for capping punitive damages.

Statistics:

• Bush's personal connections with Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi, and Aleksander Kwasniewski allowed him to deliver a powerful counterpunch to Kerry's "going it alone" claim.
• Kerry's policy of limiting troop support to France, Germany, and Russia, while agreeing with them that the war in Iraq was a diversion, raises questions about his leadership and ability to attract coalition support.
• The $84 item on the Bushes' federal income tax return was incorrectly identified by Kerry, with Annenberg admitting they were confused about the timber business connection.
• Mrs. Heinz Kerry paid only 11 percent in 2003 on her $5 million income, while the Bushes paid 28 percent in the same year.
• Kerry's claim of supporting tort reform and capping punitive damages was contradicted by his lack of action in the Senate on this issue.

Sources:

• [The Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, quoted in the article]
• [The New York Times, date not specified]
• [Bush and Kerry debate transcript, date not specified]
• [Annenberg Web site, date not specified]
• [Kerry's and Bush's income tax returns, date not specified]
• [Senate records, date not specified]
• [Polls and election results, date not specified]