Four years ago, almost to the day, George W. Bush helped out victims of a hurricane in Florida — that hurricane was called Jeanne. That night, he had his first debate with John Kerry.
It’s interesting to think of this on-the-spot assistance to hurricane victims, in light of the grief Bush would take for being disengaged — or allegedly disengaged — during the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
Anyway, Bush was pretty bad in that first debate — exhausted, for one thing. He is an early-to-bed man, and the debate was pretty late. At any rate, the president probably did not make the best use of his time that day.
Of course, he came back like gangbusters for the second two debates. But political pros agreed that he could have put Kerry away in that first debate — and that his poor performance gave the Democratic nominee new life.
What am I driving at? Well, I don’t know whether Senator McCain is a model of debate prep today.
And one more point, before I drop the subject of debates: In both 2000 and 2004, Bush did the same thing — had a lousy first debate followed by two excellent, or at least very good, debates.
In 2000, he was really lousy in the first debate. Probably worse than in 2004. In fact, if Al Gore’s behavior hadn’t been so boorish, that would have been it for Bush. Gore saved the day, by acting so badly, even as our governor was floundering.
And then, again, in the second two debates: gangbusters.
This second point I’m driving at? Governor Palin will get only one crack at it — just one. She does not have a debate to blow, to come back later. That’s a lot of pressure.
Of course, similar pressure is on her opponent, Biden . . .