I noted last night that Bush scored a point on the “global test” response, although James Joyner is correct, had he not stumbled in the response, he would have scored even more. At this point, this may be the one sound bite that may emerge as one we see over and over and that does starkly delimit the candidates.
Joyner’s post (which has an extensive round-up of the punditry on the debate) points to this entry by David Corn which correctly highlights exchange in question:
When Kerry said that if an American president wants to launch a preemptive strike, “you have to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people fully understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons,” Bush saw an opening. “I’m not exactly sure,” he said, “what you mean, ‘passes the global test,’ you take preemptive action, you pass a global test. My attitude is you take preemptive action in order to make this country secure.” Expect to see a Bush ad soon in which Kerry is mocked for believing the United States must “pass a test” before taking action to defend itself.
I think that line was infuriating, and I think it will be devastating in ads. I also think it will resonate with women.
Another point: did the Gulf War “pass the global test”? Because he voted against it.
What this shows is that world opinion actually IS irrelevant to Kerry - he is always anti-war, no matter what the international community thinks. He’s of course only using the “global test” canard this time because the rest of the world happened to agree with his anti-war stance this time.
Comment by Johnny Walker Red — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 12:32 pm
Kerry has a new slogan. Check out
www.seriousfake.blogspot.com
Comment by Don — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 1:22 pm
Bush really missed that softball. He should have said, “It is always important to have allies on our side, but other countries have different interests. That is not necessarily bad, but it is a fact. Unlike my opponent, I will never subordinate our national security to any other country or body. When it comes to national security, my decisions will be based upon the “America Test,” that is, what is best for America.”
Comment by Jack — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 1:52 pm
In watching the debate with my High school seniors they asked a good question. I was asked “Kerry said we did not use allies in Iraq but said it was wrong to use allies in Afganistan and North Korea. So which is it should we use allies or not?”
I was at a loss for an answer. Outside of starting an answer with “well you just have to understand….” which sucks. I know why each situation is different but how to explain in a short way to a group of people who don’t know much about world politics?
Comment by Rob M — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 3:33 pm
Kerry’s use of “global test” is being misrepresented. See my discussion here, which includes Bush today misrepresenting Kerry’s remarks.
He’s saying that we shouldn’t preemptively strike if we can’t prove that it was the right thing to do, and gives Colin Powell having to apologize for his speech as a counterexample.
Is that really so hard for Bush to understand? Shouldn’t we care about world opinion and our own credibility? Or, does Bush not care if America’s credibility around the world is reduced? Should America be known as the country that fibs?
Comment by The Lonewacko Blog — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 3:41 pm
DEBATE RECAP: KERRY DIDN’T GET NEEDED KNOCKOUT
Kerry is behind Bush in the polls. He needed a major effort to make an impression on the American people on why he should be commander-in-chief. He had to shake things up, dramtically. John Kerry failed in that mission.
Trackback by The Galvin Opinion — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 5:41 pm
I wonder if Kerry meant “global” in the sense of “comprehensive” but if so, he is a total moron for trying to be so nuanced and failing to realize how normal people use the word “global.”
Comment by Teri — Friday, October 1, 2024 @ 6:55 pm
About Bush not attempting a “knock out punch” with the “Global test” gaffe, doing so might have alerted Kerry to the gravity of his mistake and caused him to address it in the debate. Now Bush has a big fat defining quote with no in debate rebuttal to muddy the rhetorical waters.
Comment by Bill — Saturday, October 2, 2024 @ 12:59 am
Yes, but he is not hitting it very hard. Burning Kerry on it in the debate would have made it a major sound byte and would have defined the campaign. This is a point on which Americans feel very strongly. Bush really missed a great opportunity.
Comment by Jack — Saturday, October 2, 2024 @ 8:42 am