October 14, 2004: Right Wing Watch

Debate

The Right's reviews of the final presidential debate are in and they are overwhelmingly pro-Bush in tone. National Review managing editor Jay Nordlinger writes: "That's my boy. That's my Bush. He a hoss - a debatin' hoss. Last night, he was flat-out marvelous in debate. I said, following the second debate, that he had done well, but not his best. (Who does his best all the time? That's why we call it "best.") Last night, he did his best - and his best is superb. And I say this as an analyst, not a Bush partisan." Read

National Review Online's Gary Andres on the debate: "President George W. Bush clearly roared back - scoring his best performance of the three debates. John Kerry 'came back' as well - but the old John Kerry returned, one that had a hard time with crisp, concise answers and one that at times seemed aloof and sanctimonious." Read

The John Locke Foundation's John Hood also rules in the President's favor: "The president was better prepared, sunnier, and more persuasive Wednesday night. A bounce will likely follow." Read

The Fox News Channel's debate panel was unanimous in its praise for Bush. "I think Bush knocked Kerry out tonight," said the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol. "He just slaughtered him." Read

Meanwhile, Republicans are attacking John Kerry for "outing" Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter in last night’s debate, despite the fact that Mary Cheney previously did gay outreach for Coors Brewing Company and the Vice President has referenced her sexuality on the campaign trail. Read

Reproductive Rights

The Traditional Values Coalition's Rev. Lou Sheldon confirms that President Bush's "Dred Scott" remarks during the 2nd debate were code for Roe v. Wade: "Everyone knows the Dred Scott decision and you don't have to stretch your mind at all. When he said that, it made it very clear that the '73 decision was faulty because what it said was that unborn persons in a legal sense have no civil rights....It didn't just slip out by accident." Read