Taken from BBC

The head-to-head between President George W Bush and challenger John Kerry drew a high level of interest overseas, even though Europeans had to stay up late to see it and Asians had to wait until Friday morning their time.

TV stations such as Singapore's Channel NewsAsia carried the whole debate with commentary, and China sent five professors to attend the debate to learn more about US politics.

In Europe and the Middle East, many observers saw Mr Kerry grasping a narrow victory in the candidates' first TV encounter.

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Bush didn't lose much and Kerry didn't gain much. Both failed to set a date for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. This was the US foreign policy debate - however, it did not remotely touch on the longest conflict in the Middle East area. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict got lost between North Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pan-Arab al-Arabiya TV

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John Kerry tried to say that Bush's attack on Iraq deviated from the fight against terrorism. However, George Bush once again stressed that the world is a much safer place after the fall of Saddam, but he failed to produce any evidence to prove his claim... It is not clear yet as to whether the ordinary voters in America paid any attention to contradictions in Bush's remarks.

Iranian state radio

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John Kerry won - at least the first television debate.

German ZDF television news bulletin

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Kerry managed to keep the outcome open in this duel. I had the impression that Bush used his popular appeal very cleverly. Kerry is against unilateral American actions. He doesn't believe that the superpower America can solve all the problems of this world alone. That corresponds with the beliefs of... the German government.

Gernot Erler, senior lawmaker with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats, on German n-tv

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Kerry seemed to show that he had the stuff to be president. He had more facts in his head and he was able to explain his position in Iraq. He is back in the race. This will help him in the race.

Stephan Strothe, commentator on German N24 news channel

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Bush surprised me in one regard: he paid attention to detail, committed no gaffes, he mentioned everyone's name correctly. He even remembered the name of the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, which I doubt many people will remember.

Commentator Nuno Rogeiro on Portuguese SIC Noticias 24-hour news channel

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I believe that neither one of the candidates can claim a resounding victory. Nevertheless, I believe Bush has made enough progress to deny Kerry a turn and the recovery which he would have aimed for in this challenge.

Washington correspondent Luis Costa Ribas, on Portugal's SIC Noticias

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Democrat candidate John Kerry has regained composure and last night scored points in the first presidential debate held at the Miami University. However, no exciting battle but rather a self-confident exchange of known arguments took place... For Kerry this is a come-back to the fight which he was gradually losing...

Czech Radio 1

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John Kerry emerged from today's debate as the winner. Not only as regards the contents of the debate, when he demonstrated deep knowledge - surprisingly, he fared better also as regards the style. While Bush gave the impression of being tired and at times irritated, Kerry was calm and relaxed and showed the Americans that he also has a presidential style.

Radio Slovakia

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When Americans elect their president, their choice is based on his domestic policy, not on his policy towards Russia. In this connection, the second debate will be most important for both candidates when they will be answering questions from viewers, as well as the third debate devoted to internal policy.

Chairman of the Federation Council International Affairs Committee Mikhail Margelov, on Russian Ekho Moskvy radio

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Events in the hall looked more like a well-rehearsed TV show than a clash between genuinely irreconcilable opponents.

Russian NTV Mir television

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Kerry said one new thing after all. He said that we should sit down with the Islamic world and discuss matters. It is very important, and it is precisely this that we could not hear from Bush - the recognition that the USA or the West is facing not a couple of mad terrorists but a proportion of the world.

Hungarian TV

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The two men ended the debate pretty much the way they started it... It's hard to say at this point who came off better... I think both men did themselves some good in this debate and I think that the campaign managers on both sides will be breathing a sigh of relief.

South African SAfm Radio, Washington correspondent Simon Marks

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Coinciding with the first Bush-Kerry television debate, Cuban residents in Miami held on Thursday, in the capital of the Cuban-American Mafia, a protest against the recent measures against the Cuban people in the island, near the Florida University Campus.

Cuba's Radio Rebelde

2004 First Presidential Debate (pdf file)

I recently took some time off for a vacation, hence why there are no recent posts.

I spent a bit of time taking in the colors, snow and rain in the Kremmling/Steamboat Springs area. I didn't get much riding in, it was pretty sloppy most of the time, but I did get some decent photos while I was up there.

I recently purchased an Olympus Stylus 300 and took it up with me to see how it would do. I was able to take some decent photos with it, but had problems getting consistent light conditions on the images. Something to continue playing with.

The Photos

A small collection of articles that have caught my eye about the recent debate:

• In Debate, Kerry and Bush Stand Firm for 90 Minutes - 10.01.2004 - NYT
• Not Enough: John Kerry was able to stir the faithful, but his performance wasn't enough to change the dynamics of the race. - 10.01.2004 - The Weekly Standard
• Keeping Score: A round-by-round look at how Bush and Kerry did during the debate. - 10.01.2004 - The Weekly Standard
• Even I'm Impressed - 10.01.2004 - The Dreyfuss Report
• Key points: Kerry-Bush debate - 10.01.2004 - BBC
• Analysis: No knockout blow - 10.01.2004 - BBC
• Debate? What Debate?: There was much ground left uncovered. - 10.01.2004 - The National Review
• Don’t Shoot the Messenger . . . ’cause this assessment’s grim. - 10..01.2004 - The National Review
• Debate #1: How Did They Do? - 10.01.2004 - The National Review
• Presidential Fiction: The Story Behind the Debate - 10.01.2004 - MotherJones

I have to say that I am still not sure who it is I will vote for, I kind of don't like either one of them. I will have to pick what I feel is the lesser of two evils.

Having said that, I was rather impressed with Kerry, he put on a better performance than I thought he would. George was just the same old George, who looked like he was getting bored and tired as the debate went on.

Of course they both said the same thing over and over. Now I have to sit down with the transcript and read what they really said.

Well, not exactly, but a breakthrough test promising friendlier saddles may finally eliminate men's fear of impotence—and take cycling out of the hot seat.

http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/200409/bicycle_seats_1.html

First he says there is no strong evidence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3715396.stm

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/05/politics/05rumsfeld.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-10-04-alqaeda-saddam_x.htm

And then he says he was misunderstood. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6414697

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_5401.shtml

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/04/rumsfeld.iraq/

Well, which is it Donald?

Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Emotions are running high about this presidential choice. Take a moment, before you vote, to remind yourself that this republic has weathered worse storms and, thanks to the Constitution, has never failed to recover its bearings and adhere to its principles. Resolve not to let the defeat of your favorite candidate shatter your faith in America or turn you away from politics. There will be another day. Remember the Red Sox.

- David Broder - The Washington Post - 10/31/2004

WASHINGTON - In March 2003, days before the start of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, American war planners and intelligence officials met at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina to review the Bush administration's plans to oust Saddam Hussein and implant democracy in Iraq.

Near the end of his presentation, an Army lieutenant colonel who was giving a briefing showed a slide describing the Pentagon's plans for rebuilding Iraq after the war, known in the planners' parlance as Phase 4-C. He was uncomfortable with his material - and for good reason.

The slide said: "To Be Provided."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9927782.htm

On this site you can check your registration status and find your polling location if you live in Colorado.

Are you registered? Want to find your polling location?