One of the things that struck me about today's round of post-debate spin was how much better John Kerry is when he's in a formal setting like a debate or a prepared speech. In the debate footage, the media couldn't help but make Kerry look presidential, wise and capable. When they cut up the soundbites from his stump appearances and rallys, they can make him look smug or arrogant or whatever they want. Throughout this campaign Kerry's highlights have been scripted: his acceptance speeches in Iowa and New Hampshire, his speech at the convention, his pre-debate foreign policy address, the debate itself. Meanwhile, the Bush campaign and the media seem to jump on the extemporaneous things Kerry does at campaign stops: the "lying, rotten bastards" mic mixup, the "I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it," the TV interviews that make up most of the new Iraq war flipflop ad.
I noticed that Bush was speaking from a prepared text today as he was doing his "What I shoulda said last night" routine. He reads from texts often at his rallies. Why doesn't Kerry. It's like how Howard Dean looked and sounded awesome interviewing him in studio, but looked weird and bulbous-necked when they did a talking head shot. Kerry's strength is obviously his speech-ifying, not his improvisation and personal charisma. Let him wear his suit. Give the man a podium, I say. Forget the family and the football tossing shots and the Dr. Phil. Let's see more of John Kerry, alone, talking about serious stuff in an eloquent manner, wearing a suit and answering tough questions. Instead of trying to turn a serious, hardworking public servant into a funny, regular guy, let's just present Kerry as a what he is and stress the fact that now is not the time for a funny, regular guy president. Kerry should give more press conferences. Play up the contrast towards Bush. Now that the spin is starting to go our way, we need to surf it for maximum effect: Bush looked childish and petulent, we need to look that much smarter and more adult.