From listening to the debate on NPR (via the Internet), I'd say Kerry did do better than Bush, despite the rules that hamstrung him (rules that Bush broke on one occasion, according to an AFP report by Stephen Collinson). I don't know if this qualifies him as "better than Cicero," but he definitely sounded more presidential than Bush.
Transcript of first debate (NPR)
"NOW with Bill Moyers," a (U.S.) public broadcasting program on politics and culture, had a recent piece on the tightly scripted nature of (and limiting of participation in ) the U.S. presidential debates. You can read the transcript at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_debate.html
or watch the video from the link on
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/debates.html.
Chris | 10.03.04 - 3:27 am | #