Democratic Camp See Winds of Change Boosting Kerry
By Patricia Wilson
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites)'s campaign was declared a no-gloat zone on Friday after the White House challenger's debate against President Bush (news - web sites) but aides said winds of change had begun to blow through the race.
The Massachusetts senator declined to claim victory himself even though supporters in Tampa greeted him with chants of "You won!" and quick polls by television networks right after the debate showed more Americans gave him the edge.
"Oh, no, no, no," Kerry said. "Let me make it clear to everybody. We have to win every day from now until Nov. 2."
His staff and advisers used superlatives like powerful, concise, steady and strong to describe his showing in the nationally televised showdown with Bush on Iraq (news - web sites) and homeland security.
"What pleased me about the debate last night was that we had an opportunity finally to be able to stand up in front of Americans as two people -- no 30-second advertisements, no distortions -- and talk about the truth to the American people," Kerry said.
Staying on the attack, he ridiculed Bush for "trying to debate himself" on Iraq.
"He keeps trying to say 'well we don't want somebody who wants to leave, we don't want to wilt or waver,"' Kerry said. "Well, Mr. President, nobody's talking about leaving, nobody's talking about wilting and wavering, we're talking about winning and getting the job done right. Let's have the real debate."
PASSES TEST
Beyond the spin and the hype, there was a palpable feeling of relief that Kerry had passed the commander-in-chief test during his forceful clashes with Bush over who could best protect America, the rationale for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and how to lead the country in an age of terrorism.
"I saw one man, one commander in chief who stood tall and strong," said Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson (news, bio, voting record) of Florida. Even Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), an Arizona Republican who campaigned with Bush on Friday, praised Kerry's performance as perhaps his "brightest moment."
Senior Kerry adviser Mike McCurry said the candidate would turn the same aggressive focus from Bush's "wrong choices" on Iraq to domestic issues like health care and education.
"We are basically taking the argument about choices we've made in foreign policy and extending that out to a range of other issues," he said. "The setup we're going to be using falls within the framework that there's a change a comin' with Senator Kerry, there's more of the same with George Bush (news - web sites)."
The 90-minute debate on Thursday night at the University of Miami campus gave voters their first chance to directly compare the candidates. Both camps said in advance they expected it to be key in a tight White House race that polls have shown is leaning toward Bush.
"America saw a commander in chief," vice presidential nominee John Edwards (news - web sites) told Kerry in a late-night telephone call. "You were strong."
"It puts the wind at our backs a little," one aide said. "He's fired up."
Trying to dial back some of the enthusiasm, McCurry cautioned that the debate would not change "the fundamental horse race" immediately, but "opens up a conversation."
While the Kerry campaign described Bush -- who sighed and scowled at times when the Democrat was speaking -- as rambling, distracted and disengaged, the Bush camp called him "pensive and focused."
"The president looked like there was nowhere else in the world that he did not want to be but this debate," McCurry said. "With his facial expressions there was clear evidence that he was not comfortable in the debate, he made it obvious he was not prepared to engage with Senator Kerry on the fundamentally important issues." |
