WASHINGTON – Gleeful Democrats, some almost giddy with relief after weeks of carping within the party over their presidential campaign, on Friday trumpeted Sen. John Kerry's debate performance as vindication of his ability to take on the job of commander in chief.
"Thank God he won the debate last night!" Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., shouted to a crowd of cheering, flag-waving supporters and staff at the party's Capitol Hill headquarters.
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After watching the Kerry campaign stumble and struggle, more than a dozen House and Senate Democrats felt they finally had something to cheer about.
"John Kerry had a very good night," said Sen. John Breaux, D-La. "And bear in mind that [Iraq] was the area where President Bush was supposed to be at his best. Bring on the next two debates!"
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said he is not worried that Kerry might have trouble connecting with an audience at the next debate, which will be a town hall-style format in St. Louis.
"In a town-hall setting people will ask real questions and they want real answers," Reed said. "Last night the president looked very uncomfortable answering questions."
Michigan lawmakers said Kerry's ability to carry the debate shows he can carry their state, as well as the election.
"Last night, I'm afraid, the president looked like a man who showed up for a nine-minute debate and was terrified to find it was a 90-minute debate," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. "After nine minutes he'd run out of Carl Rove's one-liners."
© 2000 The Associated Press
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