The Debate just finished ...

Not bad. At various points, Bush appeared to be lost for words or excuses – nothing the commentaries will highlight.

The key element for me ... Bush kept insisting he didn’t want to anger China by having bi-lateral anti-nuclear proliferation discussions with Korea. While Bush kept yelling "mixed messages" about Kerry, his own message was clear. Bush is scared shitless that he might anger China.

Korea is the power with the nuclear weapons. Yet bush want China to use it’s influence and have their own bi-lateral talks. Bush is scared to hold his own talks. More important. Why would Bush fear upsetting China?

The answer! China is lending us the money to fund the Bush war in Iraq. China is a creditor nation in terms of trade balances. China is also being pressured by the world community to free it’s currency from the US Dollar and allow it to float. A floating Juan, the currency of the fastest growing economy in the world – the currency of half the world population – could cause major financial problems for the American economy ... already facing decades of deficits. Conceivably, China can be viewed as controlling the White House – "The Manchurian Candidate" is a reality in the financial arena.

The debate made it clear that we are in serious trouble. Kerry was calm, Bush blew his wad in his buzzwords usage. But what will the media report? How will they slant the debate to extract only the items which favor Bush – will the substance and substantive differences be presented in a balanced format?

I’m already on record as believing Bush will win. I also believe we will then attack Iran, and now believe that China will be seen as a sleeping dragon that has finally awakened. The next view is October 8th. Watch the markets – they’ll place their bets tomorrow out of expectation, or fear, of what three days of pundit analysis will deliver. That too shall should be fun.

NPR pundits are already enumerating the factual errors in the President’s responses.

The spin doctors have entered – basically, they are emphasizing what has been said ad nauseam – the Bush camp says "flip-flop" but providing no facts and no coherent direction (per reports); Kerry has leveled the playing field, looked Presidential, and made his points in a clear coherent manner (again, per pundits at debate). Tomorrow the string releases the Top and the real spin begins.