The first debate is Sept. 30.
Abortion, Stem Cells
Bush: My deeply held belief is that all life is precious - even the life of a little embryo, which is how we all started out. We need to respect and protect the dignity of life, and not exploit it for experimentation.
Kerry: We do need to protect life, Mr. President. We need to protect the life of a 78-year-old woman suffering Alzheimer's, who can't even recognize her own husband anymore. We need to protect the life of a 12-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes, who will have to stick herself with a needle five times a day every day of her life, or risk brain damage or a coma. You have stonewalled the research that will help them, Mr. President.
What about the young woman who may die if she gives birth? You've supported a law that would force her to face death rather than consider the option of ending her pregnancy. Whose life are you protecting there, Mr. President?
What about the 1,000 brave men and woman who have died in Iraq because of your poor planning? Please, Mr. President. Please. Don't tell us you want to protect life. If you did, you would have stood with the doctors trying to cure disease. You would have stood with the women of this country who don't want the government telling them what to do. And you would have stood with our troops and kept them out of harm's way with every cell in your body.
Leadership
Bush: I think to be a leader, it's a test of faith. In times of great tragedy, or crisis, like on September the 11th, it's a test of your own faith and character, that you can know the right thing to do. People need to see you stand resolutely, firmly, and lead in one direction, not flip-flopping all over the place.
Kerry: Now George I know you've been confused by my votes and you've been calling me a flip-flopper. It seems like you've been confused by a lot of things the last four years. You were confused about the WMDs. You were confused about the tax cuts. You and Dick Cheney were confused about jobs -- he said 400,000 people are finding work on Ebay. Let me clear it up for you.
I am FOR using force as a last resort to protect America. I am AGAINST the pre-emptive and unnecessary war you took us into.
I am FOR tax cuts for the middle class. I am AGAINST your hand-outs for your friends at Enron and Halliburton.
I am FOR jobs here at home. I am AGAINST shipping American jobs overseas.
And John Edwards and I are FOR telling the truth to the American people, and we are most firmly AGAINST the distortions, deceptions, and negative campaigning that your campaign has run.
Taxes
Bush: We pay too much in taxes already. My opponent wants to raise taxes even higher - what else do you expect from a senator from Massachusetts?
Kerry: (At this point Kerry throws a cream pie in the President's face.)
Add your own.