Impressions of the Presidential Debate

Re “Viewers Give Round 1 to Kerry,” Oct. 3: In Thursday’s debate, President Bush articulated one of the more compelling arguments for why he should be defeated in November. He said, “If I were to ever say this is the wrong war at the wrong time at the ... wrong place, the troops would wonder, ‘How can I follow this guy?’ ”

This is revealing because it shows how boxed in the president has become due to his stubborn refusal to acknowledge any mistake of any kind.

After all he has said and done -- from overstating the reasons for going to war in Iraq to sugarcoating its results -- he believes he cannot ever admit he was wrong, even if he wanted to. He perceives his only option to be to “stay the course” even if that course takes us off a cliff.

The troops, and the American people, no longer expect candor from Bush. What they urgently need is someone who is free from the constraints of arrogance, stubbornness and pride that limit this administration’s options and cost more lives everyday.

Mark Jacobsen

Santa Barbara

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For those of you still swooning over John Kerry’s performance at the debate, convinced he won because he looked more “presidential” and “statesmanlike,” I suggest you focus more on the substance of the debate rather than the style of the debaters.

Though I give John Kerry points for composure, eloquence, style and stature, I give the victory to the one who presented greater logic. But that’s just me. For those who had ears to hear the Bush doctrine on fighting the war on terror and what this war in Iraq is about (beyond weapons of mass destruction), I believe he spelled it out very clearly on Thursday.

Beyond the merits of our liberating an oppressed nation and making the world safer from a dangerous autocrat with a diabolical history and agenda is the doctrine that freedom is the key to stabilizing the Middle East and the long-term expulsion of organized terror. Liberated and democratized Afghanistan and Iraq set no small precedent in the Islamic world. It is for this cause we are ultimately fighting, and in which George W. Bush believes passionately and unwaveringly, while Kerry does not.

Peter S. McConnell

Albuquerque

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Picking out the “winner” and “loser” of Thursday night’s debate is both difficult and irrelevant.

For instance, it is difficult because, although Kerry appeared more articulate and intelligent, he was unable to present concrete plans for improvement. Both recited their rehearsed rhetoric on terrorism and skirted other important issues.

Terrorism, however, does not constitute the entirety of American foreign policy. But questions that deviated, like those on genocide in Sudan and constitutionalism in Russia, were largely ignored. More important, though, “winning” or “losing” is irrelevant because the “winner” of one debate does not -- and should not -- determine who the next president will be.

Alanna Mori

Arcadia

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Why doesn’t any paper of record have the courage to tell the truth about Bush’s intelligence?

He’s our president, and he’s clearly very stupid. He’s like a goofy action figure, reciting brainless stock phrases whenever his string is pulled.

Catherine Skelly

Forest Hills, N.Y.

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John Kerry made the point very clearly that the unilateral invasion of Iraq was and is a mistake by this administration.

The invasion has not made Americans safer. It was simply a diversion from the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Of these two men, John Kerry is clearly the more profound and realistic leader.

Flip-flop? Show me a man who will not change his mind (Bush) and I will show you a man who cannot learn from his mistakes. Show me a man who will not admit his mistakes (Bush) and I will show you a coward.

Norma J. Russel

Glendale

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His lies haven’t sunk him, his insane environmental policies haven’t sunk him, the prison scandals haven’t sunk him, the deficit hasn’t sunk him, the disastrous war in Iraq hasn’t sunk him, but the smirk finally did!

Kerry Jamesa

Los Alamitos

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It was clear that Bush won the debate. How could Kerry possibly win against someone with such intellect and control of emotions? Bush wiped Kerry out with his variety of comments.

Omkar Purohit

Northridge