kerry on meet the press?

[ShapeShifter]

Pigs will fly when we get a presidential candidate that manages to clearly answer a question and maybe take responsibility for something.

Heck, if I wouldn't care if the guy was a Republican, if he actually took responsibility for stuff, and wasn't too far-right, I'd vote for him.

Sorry but taking responsibility for anything today is a sign of weakness. That is why Bush is consider a strong leader, he never admits fault.

[angus]

on now on msnbc in PDT, maybe elsewhere...

Kerry is lucid.

they're talking palestine, cuba, china so far...

maybe domestics later?

"I have never suggested lifting the embargo, but if anyone is suggesting it works, --I don't know...  well, look at -"
russert interrupts:  "what about now-"
kerry evades, "well, I would encourage travel, and I'd like to go forward, and I'd like to see progress.[sic]  That's the smrat idea."  (is kerry contradicting himself?)

Then they play a replay from april 18, 1971 just before the break, with Kerry saying "I had to shoot people etc."
Flash back to now, Kerry says, "Where did that dark hair go?"  whoa, a bit non-sequitur.

hmmm.  looks like it might get better.  more later.

[angus]

 he said we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.  he was very positive and upbeat about Ralph Nader and Nader's work.  he skillfully evaded questions about his wife's tax returns.  about his vice president:  no comment.

they talked about tax cuts but he was a little fuzzy.  or I was.

at one point they played a clip of kerry from a few days ago:
"Those guys are the most lying, crooked group I've ever seen."  ouch.  he said he was talking about the "smear machine" of Karl Rove and company and said Bush was a promise breaker.  he said he had "...plans.  We're gonna make this a better place."

Asked whether he and Bush would leave the room if the moderator mentined Skull and Bones, he laughed, "I doubt it"  (Wow, I didn't realize he laughed.)

He ended it by challenging the President to monthly debates.

He wasn't seamless, but not phony either.  Overall, he came across fairly genuine and seemed well-coached.  I think it probably played well to his supporters.  It may have calmed a few people who just started paying attention.  (hey mildred, this guy ain't as bad as that weirdo they had running against him last time.)  Those folks will want more details eventually.

[angus]

I've had a chance to sleep on it, and sleep off the Beaujolais-induced buzz, and I still say Kerry looked sharp.  Remember that Bush has the advantage of incumbency, so Kerry needs to optimize these free appearances.  Here's a tidbit from today's Media Notes by Howard Kurtz:


When President Bush delivered a routine stump speech to a group of New Mexico homeowners on March 26, CNN and Fox News each carried his appearance for 35 minutes, and MSNBC for 33 minutes.

When John Kerry gave what was billed as a major address on national security at George Washington University on March 17, he was knocked off the screen by a large explosion in Baghdad. CNN and Fox each dropped Kerry (who had been reduced to small box) after three minutes, and MSNBC never picked him up. But as the Iraq coverage continued, all three networks carried Vice President Cheney in California attacking Kerry as weak on national security -- Fox for 28 minutes, MSNBC for 23 and CNN for 13.

In the daily battle for airtime, Bush has drawn more than three times as much live cable coverage as his Democratic challenger, yet another example of the advantages of incumbency.  

Here's the rest, if you're interested:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/columns/kurtzhoward/

[klrbzzz]

If you have insomnia, listen to Kerry speak for about 10 minutes .... that should cure you.

[angus]

If you have insomnia, listen to Kerry speak for about 10 minutes .... that should cure you.

yes, it works very well.

Here's the Boston Globe take on the interview:

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/04/19/kerry_attacks_bush_on_war/

This writer is particularly diplomatic.  He discusses the interview at length and manages to avoid use the words inconsistent and contradictory.  Though he does use the word vacillate at least once.  Overall, it seems a fairly objective, if fluffy, report of the interview.