Campaign heads expectedly contrary

For some expert opinions on Wednesday’s presidential debate, the

Daily Pilot solicited comments from the Orange County heads of

President George Bush’s and Democratic challenger John Kerry’s

campaigns. Here’s what Orange County Bush/Cheney co-chairwoman Anna

Bryson and Orange County Kerry/Edwards chairman Frank Barbaro had to

say.

DP: How did the candidates perform Wednesday?

Barbaro: I thought that Kerry was extremely good; I thought that

Bush was average. Certainly Bush did better than he did in the first

debate, but he’s nothing to write home about.

I thought that Kerry had a real grasp of the numbers. For example,

the gift to the pharmaceutical industry of $139 billion by making it

illegal for our Medicare officials to bargain for better prices.

Bryson: The president was not only on target, he was relaxed, he

was candid, and he was absolutely commanding and uplifting. We have

seldom seen a finer debate from our president than tonight.

Tonight, what we saw was President George Bush in command of the

topics, offering his people a vision of optimistic success for the

average businessperson and the average worker and for victory in

Iraq.

DP: Of the issues the candidates addressed, what’s the most

important to Orange County voters?

Bryson: No. 1, homeland security. We know that President Bush will

keep our homeland secure. We have not had an event in his

administration since the first one [Sept. 11], and he has taken the

measures necessary to keep us secure.

Barbaro: I think the most important thing to Orange County voters

is the war in Iraq. I think that it’s important because it permeates

all of the domestic issues.

DP: How will these debates affect the outcome of the election?

Barbaro: They already have affected the outcome of the election.

It has certainly swung a lot of the undecided to Kerry -- tonight

should be the coup de grace. It has also reaffirmed and strengthened

his base, and it’s demonstrated to the American people that he’s a

thinking, feeling man who doesn’t view everything as just black and

white.

Bryson: I think that this clinches it for the president. Without

question, George Bush will be the president of the United States once

again. The American people saw someone they can put their faith in,

and he will not let them down.

-- Compiled by Alicia Robinson