Bush Gored

Four years ago the Conventional Wisdom after the debates was that there were three Al Gores. The Gore of the first debate was derided as a huffy attack poodle. The Gore of the second debate was passive and somnambulant. By the third debate, so the CW goes, Gore had found the appropriate balance between sniping and statesmanship.

Thus, it is with much hope and little expectation that I look to our SCLM to point out how, in 2004, Bush is executing the Gore debate strategy.

To wit: In the first debate Bush one-upped Gore's huffiness with an amazing display of facial tics, grimaces, and scowls that induced casual observers to think that Bush suffers from voluntary Tourettes. Recall also that two different Bushes showed up for the first debate. The Bush of the first 45 minutes in the Coral Gables debate demonstrated the energetic pushiness we've come to expect from the exerciser-in-chief. But all of his contortions and facial mugging must have tired him out. For by the last half hour Bush had morphed into a barely cognizant automoton listlessly parroting his half-dozen canned talking points.

Prior to the St. Louis debate Bush must have gotten a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, perhaps, he was too well rested. For like the fighter who refuses to heed the referee's admonitions to return to his corner, Bush could barely be contained. He frequently burst off his stool and strode aggressively into the middle of the arena. Often, he didn't even wait for the moderator to extend a question before he unilaterally seized extra time to swing wildly with his new (yet tiredly retro) "liberal" attacks. Whereas the Bush of the second half of the first debate was oddly fagged, the Bush of the second debate was strangely intoxicated with energy and anger. Whether caused by a Grande Caffè Latte or some other stimulant, George's unmodulated speech and audience hectoring was truly jarring. Coupled with his odd statements about his timber company and the "internets" his animated and antagonistic performance must have left his supporters relieved that he wants to keep his job as they simultaneouly questioned his fitness to perform it.

As I noted before, on next Wednesday's debate hinges much. Not least of which is the answer to this question: Which Bush will show up?

Cross posted from Kos