The first 45 minutes of the final presidential debate of the 2004 campaign were goofy and unfocused, with George W. Bush offering counsel on when to get flu shots and John Kerry explaining how much he respects Catholic bishops who have effectively suggested that it would be a sin to vote for him.
Only when the question of Social Security came up did the discourse start to get interesting. Finally, Kerry and Bush distinguished themselves from one another.
Bush confirmed that he wants to privatize at least some portions of the entitlement program and went so far as to suggest that it took courage to be willing to gamble the retirements of working Americans on the stock market. "It is an issue I'm willing to take on," Bush promised - or perhaps the better word is "threatened."
Kerry correctly responded by characterizing the president's proposal as "an invitation to disaster."
Citing a Congressional Budget Office study that suggests the president's plan would open a $2 trillion hole in the Social Security program and lead to a dramatic cut in benefit levels, Kerry made his own promise: "We're going to protect Social Security. I will not privatize it. I will not cut the benefits."</PKerry was equally firm when the candidates were asked whether they favor increasing the minimum wage.
The Democrat responded in detail, saying he would work to raise the federal base hourly wage requirement from $5.15 an hour, where it has been stuck for seven years, to $7 an hour. Kerry explained how doing so would improve the standard of living for 9.2 million working women - many of them mothers of young children. And he closed with a passionate promise that "I will fight tooth and nail to raise the minimum wage."
Bush avoided the question altogether, using his time to mount a defense of his much-criticized "No Child Left Behind" program.
In a domestic policy debate, these were fundamental questions. They were the which-side-are-you-on tests of the night.
Kerry said he would ensure retired Americans are always afforded the economic protections of the Social Security program. And he promised that he would take the most basic, yet most necessary, step to improve the condition of the working poor.
Bush said he would gamble the retirement security of working Americans on the stock market. And he could not be bothered to discuss the steps that must be taken to help working moms take a step out of poverty.
To a greater extent than we would have dared imagine, the final debate made the already stark choice between John Kerry and George W. Bush a whole lot clearer.
Capitol Times
Only when the question of Social Security came up did the discourse start to get interesting. Finally, Kerry and Bush distinguished themselves from one another.
Bush confirmed that he wants to privatize at least some portions of the entitlement program and went so far as to suggest that it took courage to be willing to gamble the retirements of working Americans on the stock market. "It is an issue I'm willing to take on," Bush promised - or perhaps the better word is "threatened."
Kerry correctly responded by characterizing the president's proposal as "an invitation to disaster."
Citing a Congressional Budget Office study that suggests the president's plan would open a $2 trillion hole in the Social Security program and lead to a dramatic cut in benefit levels, Kerry made his own promise: "We're going to protect Social Security. I will not privatize it. I will not cut the benefits."</PKerry was equally firm when the candidates were asked whether they favor increasing the minimum wage.
The Democrat responded in detail, saying he would work to raise the federal base hourly wage requirement from $5.15 an hour, where it has been stuck for seven years, to $7 an hour. Kerry explained how doing so would improve the standard of living for 9.2 million working women - many of them mothers of young children. And he closed with a passionate promise that "I will fight tooth and nail to raise the minimum wage."
Bush avoided the question altogether, using his time to mount a defense of his much-criticized "No Child Left Behind" program.
In a domestic policy debate, these were fundamental questions. They were the which-side-are-you-on tests of the night.
Kerry said he would ensure retired Americans are always afforded the economic protections of the Social Security program. And he promised that he would take the most basic, yet most necessary, step to improve the condition of the working poor.
Bush said he would gamble the retirement security of working Americans on the stock market. And he could not be bothered to discuss the steps that must be taken to help working moms take a step out of poverty.
To a greater extent than we would have dared imagine, the final debate made the already stark choice between John Kerry and George W. Bush a whole lot clearer.
Capitol Times
