First US Debate...

Okay, first debate.  International issues.  The players w/background in relation:

Senator John Kerry, who went to Vietnam, and saw first hand.  His record is more solid (minimal questions, mostly of *after* his service)

President Bush, who's pre-elected military experience was in the Texas National Guard, in a position that would let him "escape" Vietnam.  He was never activated and sent.  He has gaps in his record, and recently in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit his resignation letter turned up.  His background is questionable.

About an hour into the debates, I started tuning out.  Bush admitted the mission wasn't over, and dodged many allegations Kerry presented by using canned results.  Kerry had to respond to the canned messages, correcting Bush over and over again.  Even the press knows better than Bush!  NBC ran a fact-checking report right after the debate and they got better figures from Iraq's prime minister!  Bush is ignoring Kerry... and it's looking like everyone else.

Bush's presentation sputtered, pausing, almost refilling a buffer with new words every five or six seconds if it wasn't canned.  Kerry never waivered, his Senate debate experience working to his advantage.

I do belive Kerry is more solid in his plans, but he continues to be defensive.  He needs to LART Bush that he's not going to respond to the repeated canned claims.  He needs a zinger...

Noone really won it.  Bush held his platform of repeating history.  Kerry defined more, cementing his platform.