Bush, Kerry hit the road again

2004-10-01 17:27

Coral Gables, Florida - President George W Bush and presidential hopeful John Kerry rushed back to the campaign trail on Friday after their debate over foreign policy and to renew the argument over whether going to war in Iraq had made the nation safer.

Three post-debate polls suggested voters who watched the policy-driven confrontation on Thursday night were impressed by Kerry.

Most of those surveyed said he did better than Bush.

It was the first of three debates before the November 2 election.

Bush, however, believed he had effectively spelled out the strategy and shown the resolve with which he is fighting the war on terror, White House communications director Dan Bartlett said.

John McCain, a Republican who informally advised Bush, told reporters in Miami on Friday that the debate was probably Kerry's "brightest moment" in the last six weeks.

Kerry's campaign prepared a TV ad that featured newspaper headlines from on Friday praising the Democrat's performance.

The Democratic national committee was rolling out a web video showing clips of Bush appearing frustrated at the debate.

Bush appeared irritated

When Kerry levelled some of his charges, Bush appeared irritated and scowled at times and, at other moments, glanced away in apparent disgust.

Kerry often took notes when the president spoke.

The television networks offered a split screen to viewers so they could see both men at the same time and watch their reactions.

Bush knew he would be on camera during the entire debate and was aware that the networks had not agreed to show only the candidate who was speaking, Bush campaign spokesperson Nicolle Devenish said.

Regarding Bush's facial reactions, Devenish said: "The president reacted honestly. It showed the president really believes in his convictions."

Kerry summed up Bush's strategy for Iraq as "more of the same" and added: "This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment.

And judgment is what we look for in the president of the United States of America."

Bush acknowledged that not every American agrees with the decisions he's made.

"But people know where I stand," Bush said, suggesting they don't know where Kerry stands.

"People out there listening know what I believe."

In Thursday night's encounter at the University of Miami, Bush and Kerry drew heavily on oft-repeated lines from their campaign speeches, but they faced each other directly across the same stage for the first time.

On the Net:

Bush campaign: http://www.georgewbush.com

Kerry campaign: http://www.johnkerry.com

- AP