Funny stuff on Drudge

[GrantDawg]

DEBATE MYSTERY: DID KERRY HAVE CHEAT SHEET?

Section 5, pages 4-5 of the binding "Memorandum of Understanding" that was negotiated and agreed upon by both political campaigns states:

"No props, notes, charts, diagrams, or other writings or other tangible things may be brought into the debate by either candidate.... Each candidate must submit to the staff of the Commission prior to the debate all such paper and any pens or pencils with which a candidate may wish to take notes during the debate, and the staff or commission will place such paper, pens and pencils on the podium..."

So what did Dem presidential contender John Kerry take out of his jacket as he approached the stage [with his back to the auditorium's audience]?

What did Kerry place on the podium?

Video replays (http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/2004/10/winners-never-cheat.html) of the Kerry maneuver played all weekend long on the internet.

[A tight zoom analysis of the Boston.Com feed shows Kerry pulling a mysterious item his jacket [14 seconds into video, after commerical]. Kerry appears to unfold some sort of paper seconds later, at his podium.] (http://www.boston.com/news/special/politics/debate_video/sept29/1.html)

A top Kerry campaign source explained to the DRUDGE REPORT late Sunday how Bush supporters were once again trying to distract.

"Kerry did not cheat," said the Kerry insider. "This is more lies from Republicans, who are hoping for a quick change of subject away from the president's performance, and the new polls."

When pressed on the fact that even brandishing a pen from his jacket would have violated debate rules, the Kerry staffer laughed, adding, "See you at the inauguration, Drudge".

[GrantDawg]

I don't think it is a big deal, but he does seem to take something out of his pocket. What I love is the Kerry supporter's reply.

[Joe]

cheater!!!

[GrantDawg]

cheater!!!
Yes. He made you blink uncontrollably, interrupt him, and say the same stupid lines over and over again with his mind-control device.

[Jesse_Ewiak]

He probably had a pen in his pocket, and took it out accidently out of habit. I saw Bush take something out too, probably the same thing happened.

[Joe]

how do you unfold a pen?

[Chubby]

they both probably had blank sheets of paper in their pockets for writing down notes during the debate.

[Vegas Vic]

how do you unfold a pen?

It's hard work.

[WussGawd]

Yawn. Why does anybody take Matt Drudge seriously at this point? Did he get this story from the same source that told him Kerry was having an "affair" a few months ago? Oh wait, he just makes this sh** up, anyway, I forgot.

Kerry's been a student of debate since Prep School. One of the keys to success in debate is preparation. Something that apparently Bush didn't get to do much of since he was so busy "clearing brush" at his fake ranch in Crawford, TX.

Kerry slapped around Bush for 90 minutes...no surprise that the RNC's second best friend, Matt Drudge, is trying to invent reasons that Bubble-Boy Bush got beat like a drum.

The simple answer is that Kerry was better. It wasn't just the answers, though Kerry is clearly a more intelligent, better read man than Bush, Kerry beat Bush stylistically. Even his handlers didn't expect Bush to lose on style, but he did. No cheat sheet is going to cause that to happen. Cheat sheets certainly didn't cause Bush's eyerolls, grimaces, frowns, smirks, or the biting of his inner lip, or his rude interruptions, and attempts to change the rules that his own team negotiated.

Here's a hint as to why Bush looked bad. It's the first time he's been forced to answer a tough question (as opposed to spewing forth talking points) since he was anointed President by the Supreme Court. He's had 12 press conferences in four years (his dad had 71 in 4 years...Clinton had 140+ in 8). Bush hasn't taken a tough question from a reporter, or an audience in his circa 1936 Nuremberg-style political rallies (complete with loyalty oaths), in four years. He got soft, and isolated himself from people for 3-1/2 years, and on Thursday, he paid the price.

And if you think that Jim Lehrer was harsh, just wait until he gets to answer questions from the good people of Missouri on Friday for 90 minutes, because historically, citizens in the "Town Hall" style debates have asked much better, much more substantive questions than the "journalists".

[sooner333]

Yawn. Why does anybody take Matt Drudge seriously at this point? Did he get this story from the same source that told him Kerry was having an "affair" a few months ago? Oh wait, he just makes this sh** up, anyway, I forgot.

Kerry's been a student of debate since Prep School. One of the keys to success in debate is preparation. Something that apparently Bush didn't get to do much of since he was so busy "clearing brush" at his fake ranch in Crawford, TX.

Kerry slapped around Bush for 90 minutes...no surprise that the RNC's second best friend, Matt Drudge, is trying to invent reasons that Bubble-Boy Bush got beat like a drum.

The simple answer is that Kerry was better. It wasn't just the answers, though Kerry is clearly a more intelligent, better read man than Bush, Kerry beat Bush stylistically. Even his handlers didn't expect Bush to lose on style, but he did. No cheat sheet is going to cause that to happen. Cheat sheets certainly didn't cause Bush's eyerolls, grimaces, frowns, smirks, or the biting of his inner lip, or his rude interruptions, and attempts to change the rules that his own team negotiated.

Here's a hint as to why Bush looked bad. It's the first time he's been forced to answer a tough question (as opposed to spewing forth talking points) since he was anointed President by the Supreme Court. He's had 12 press conferences in four years (his dad had 71 in 4 years...Clinton had 140+ in 8). Bush hasn't taken a tough question from a reporter, or an audience in his circa 1936 Nuremberg-style political rallies (complete with loyalty oaths), in four years. He got soft, and isolated himself from people for 3-1/2 years, and on Thursday, he paid the price.

And if you think that Jim Lehrer was harsh, just wait until he gets to answer questions from the good people of Missouri on Friday for 90 minutes, because historically, citizens in the "Town Hall" style debates have asked much better, much more substantive questions than the "journalists".

I'm glad you answered the question or even stayed on topic here. The question is, whether Kerry took stuff out of his pocket. He did, that wasn't allowed per the rules. Now, it probably didn't make a difference. But he broke the rules...yet you just talk about other stuff. No wonder you like Kerry so much.

[Buddy Grant]

Once again Matt Drudge, one of the only left wing media types outside of the National Review that I even bother with anymore, comes up with a solid piece of investigative journalism that cuts right to the bone of the issue at hand. Then, not content to merely suggest that this first debate was a complete and utter mockery of fair debating rules (and that Kerry flat out obviously cheated and is suspected of being financially supported by a group called Communists For Kerry), Drudge then asks the tough follow up questions that the lefty media wouldn't dare to ask of a Presidential challenger. It's about time this media free ride for the Demoncrats ended, and if it takes a brilliant and even handed top notch reporter like Matt Drudge to expose only the lies that are important to me (like this complete lie that the initial post describes), then so be it. I know one person who won't be sleeping well tonight... and by that I mean me of course, ever since the 12 piece 70's funk band moved into the suite above me :mad:. Regardless of all that, I also hope that Drudge covers that other big story that most of the lefty media (by which I mean virtually all media, non-media and most of my relatives) has ignored - imminent alien invasion. Let's take the high road already and get the jam ready, that toast is looking awful tasty right about now.

[Jesse_Ewiak]

From the oh-so communist New York Post...

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/31273.htm

October 4, 2004 -- Was John Kerry trying to pull something at the debate last week?
That question was burning up the Internet yesterday after a slo-mo review of the footage showed the Massachusetts senator taking an object out of his right pocket before the first question.

<snip>

But the mystery was solved when The Post reviewed a Fox News Channel feed from Thursday's debate: Kerry pulled out . . . a black pen.

Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade remained angry at the bloggers' guilt-by-insinuation.

"The right-wing attack machine will say anything to steal a debate do-over," he said.

"We plead guilty to having a pen."

The Bush campaign did not comment.

[Ksyrup]

I think I read that they wre both taking notes, which neither of them were allowed to do.

Really, I feel like way too much is being made of the debates. The vast majority of us know who we're voting for. I saw enough clips of it to confirm exactly what I knoew all along - they aren't saying anything differently than they've been saying in their own campaign speeches. They should just do away with the fiction of a "debate" and let each of them present an hour speech, back-to-back, on one night and be done with it.

I talked to approximately 25 people over the weekend, at least 5 or 6 of whom are undecided, and none of us watched the debate. In fact, a couple of the undecideds asked me who won the debate, even though I had just said I didn't watch it.

So, of course, I told them Bush. :D

[Chubby]

I'm glad you answered the question or even stayed on topic here. The question is, whether Kerry took stuff out of his pocket. He did, that wasn't allowed per the rules. Now, it probably didn't make a difference. But he broke the rules...yet you just talk about other stuff. No wonder you like Kerry so much.
Bush continually butted in and insisted on more time to respond which was against the rules (only the moderator was to decide when to do extensions) but obviously taking a pen out of your pocket is a much bigger offense :rolleyes: He broke the rules... yet you ignore it. No wonder you like Bush so much.

[Ksyrup]

This thread is the height of partisan absurdity on both sides. November 2 can't come quick enough.

[GrantDawg]

This thread is the height of partisan absurdity on both sides. November 2 can't come quick enough.
The sad thing is I didn't post it because I thought Kerry "breaking" the rule was a big issue. I just liked the last line of the article.

[sooner333]

Taking notes was within the guidelines of the debate. 30-second rebuttals were also allowed.

[Leonidas]

I think what Kerry really pulled out was one of those Men in Black memory eraser things that he used on Bush so that the only things Bush could remember to say were:
Hard Work
Good People
Flip-Flopper