Signifying Nothing

4 Ocotober 2004


Sunday Morning Talkingheads Spin the Debate

The Sunday morning jabberfests that pass for news programs focused on Thursday’s joint press conference held by President Bush and Senator Kerry. The spin began by the description of this event as a “debate,” and it rapidly got worse from there. When all was said and done, the American people were essentially asked to believe some self-appointed expert rather than their own senses.

Much of the GOP’s efforts were set to create the impression that the president didn’t “lose the debate.” Right after the joint appearance, the most earnest of conservative commentators, William Kristol, said the night belonged to Mr. Kerry. No one who actually watched the farce could think Mr. Bush performed better. First, it wasn’t his milieu. Second, if the GOP’s experts are to be believed, the president was plum tuckered out from comforting hurricane victims all day. Compassionate conservatism really takes it out of a fellow.

The Democrats, for their part, were zealous in defending their “victory,” which had they done the same in Florida four years ago, Mr. Gore would be president. Mr. Kerry is a veteran of the United States Senate, a rather august body devoted to debating. He is a former captain of Yale University’s forensic debate team. In short, he did indeed carry the night, but what a pass the Democrats have let things reach when this kind of dog and pony show is needed to catch up in the polls to a president who has lost American jobs, lost America’s peace, and lost almost 3,000 American lives on his watch. That Mr. Kerry isn’t winning by 20 percent in the polls merely goes to show that the campaign only began last week.

The big excitement for the Sundays was the viewership of the press conference. Some 60 million people tuned in, more than in 2000. But looking behind that figure is a startling truth – the undecideds are still not paying attention. The polls are saying the nation is approximately split 50-50 on this election among voters who are registered, likely to vote, solid in their support, or whatever qualifier is placed on the question. But consider that in the last election more than 104 million voters marked their ballots. If one presumes that there is no increase in the number of voters (and there are reasons to believe there will be an increase), that means there are still 44 million who will vote but who didn’t watch the debate.

The viewing habits of the politically attuned are rather predictable. Most of the people watching last Thursday have already made up their minds as to who should take the oath of office in January. In other words, there is a huge number of undecided voters, and they still haven’t paid much attention yet. That’s why the poll numbers bandied about are so meaningless.

© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

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