Debate Responses

1. Just heard President Bush suggest that Senator Kerry wants to follow a law enforcement policy, while he wants to use all the tools in our arsenal. Frankly it shouldn't come as any surprise that I think it's President Bush who doesn't want to use certain tools, notably the diplomatic corps and the international law enforcement agencies.

2. And here I was just going to go get a flu shot, and the President says that I shouldn't. Oh well.

3. Like watching Kerry laughing as President Bush repeats the lie about 98 tax increases. Kerry didn't get a chance to reply. Here's the truth from Factcheck.Org.

Of the 98 votes for "tax increases," 43 were cast on budget measures that only set targets and don't actually legislate tax increases. Often, several votes are counted regarding a single tax bill.

The ad also strives to blame Kerry for raising taxes on the "middle class" and says "There's what Kerry says and then there's what Kerry does." But a close look shows the votes cited in this ad are in fact fairly consistent with Kerry's promise only to raise taxes on those making over $200,000 a year.

4. This is a pretty contentious debate; they don't look like they like each other at all. I also get the impression that this moderator is trying pretty hard to avoid the charge of "liberal bias."