The perils of great expectations -Boston Globe (for Bush in debate)

[Rose Siding]

GEORGE W. BUSH has built his political career on three assets: a famous name, a formidable fund-raising network, and the habitual tendency of his opponents to underestimate him.

Nowhere has this last asset benefited him more than in his debates against his major opponents: Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas governor's race and Al Gore in the presidential campaign of 2000. Because he has never excelled at formal public speaking (in contrast to spontaneous banter, at which he has few equals), Bush faced each opponent with the advantage of low expectations -- and proceeded to exceed them.

But as the president prepares for the final debates of his political career, he finds himself in a new situation. As the incumbent president, he will take the stage starting Sept. 30 against John Kerry bearing the unfamiliar burden of high expectations.

I was a questioner in the Richards-Bush debate, and I assumed the saucy Richards would demolish him. So, apparently, did Richards. Bush aides later told the story that in a backstage encounter prior to the debate, she had said to him, "Are you ready for this, boy?"........MORE!........

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/debates/articles/2004/09/26/the_perils_of_great_expectations/?rss_id=Boston.com%20/%20News%20/%20Politics