Reaction after 2 debates

I watched both the presidential debates with keen interest,
since Debate is a process I personally enjoy (always have).

Now we all knew, going into both, that Kerry is simply a
better extemporaneous speaker than President Bush.
It's very clear to me, after watching him in two debates,
that Kerry has some well-honed skills in the area of
thinking on his feet, constructing his thoughts, speaking
in careful, measured tones, emphasizing key points,
and leaving his audience with those important little
nuggets to mull over. He's good at this stuff.

By contrast, the President is more colloquial, with more
of an "Everyman" style and approach. Unfortunately,
he seems to feel the need to speak in high-pitched tones
and alarmist rhetoric, and many of us Republicans are
dismayed at the WEALTH of material against Kerry that
President Bush is simply leaving on the table. In short,
I think his debate coach is short-changing him.

But here's what I have to say about the debates, in sum:
BIG DEAL.

So Kerry is a more accomplished public speaker than
President Bush; SO WHAT. So he can turn a phrase
more quickly than the President; WHO CARES.

The bottom line is that Kerry's record on critical issues --
from Taxes to the Military to Abortion to Homosexuality
and others -- not to mention the whole Character question,
still makes the President the more trustworthy and
respectable candidate. THAT kind of thing isn't changed
by these media-driven debates we've been seeing.