What did Bush say to Kerry after the debate last night?

October 14, 2004 2:32 PM

What did Bush say to Kerry after the debate last night? [more inside]

Now, I don't exactly count myself among the tinfoil-hatted brigade, but when Bush and Kerry shook hands last night after the debate, it looked to me like Bush said something to Kerry, Kerry replied with a pleasantry, Bush asked him another question, Kerry agreed with him, and they parted ways.

When I look at video of the event, from multiple camera feeds, it looks to my untrained eye like Bush is saying something like "I want to talk to you after the debate" (or "afterwards.") Kerry nods, then Bush says "Where will you be?" Kerry says something that I can't catch, then Bush says "We'll find each other." Kerry agrees, they shake hands again, and both walk off the stage. (This would be at about 10:30:48 PM Eastern time last night.)

Anyone know what they were saying? I don't think it's anything nefarious, but I am curious as hell.

posted by Vidiot to Law & Government (12 answers total)

Response by poster: Actually, on watching it again, it looks like Bush is saying "I want to talk to you election night."

And some Intarweb digging has produced this and this. (That second link has a video file, by the way.)

I'm sure they're exchanging pleasantries, but it struck me as odd.
posted by Vidiot at 2:49 PM on October 14, 2004

I wondered this too. If they are goiing to meet up and hang out, that's pretty awesome. Wow.
posted by josh at 3:07 PM on October 14, 2004

maybe they will reminisce about their skull and bones days?

Even though the debates are stilted, I prefer this part of the campaigns over the stumping, advertising and endless punditry. Face to face, they are more likely to be held accountable and must be a least a little cordial. These guys have a lot more in common than many of their supporters would have us believe.

FWIW, a person who is deaf and reads lips posted a similar question in the comments on the Kerry blog.
posted by whatnot at 3:19 PM on October 14, 2004

Yeah, Bush wants to have a chat with Kerry before Kerry's airplane goes down.
posted by Mo Nickels at 3:24 PM on October 14, 2004

Somehow this one seems most likely:

Bush: ".... I wish you the best..."

Kerry: [lost to camera angle]

Bush: "... where will you be next?" [I think in reference to the travelling both men have ahead of them]

Kerry: "Ohio, and then [lost to angle]"

Bush: "Good job tonight"

Kerry: "Thank you."
posted by mathowie at 3:55 PM on October 14, 2004

"I so want you after the debate..."

"I'll be waiting, monkey-man."

"Can't wait, college-boy!"
posted by jpburns at 4:48 PM on October 14, 2004

"No one makes me look bad and gets away with it. You understand that I can make your uppity ass disappear with a single phone call, right?"

"Don't worry I'm going to throw it in Ohio. I'll tell 'em I'm gay or something. It'll be all over the internet by morning."

"That's 'internets.'"
posted by eyeballkid at 6:34 PM on October 14, 2004

"What can I say? I tip my hat and call you my daddy."
posted by kirkaracha at 11:04 PM on October 14, 2004

Response by poster: I got an e-mail last night from someone who gets pool reports. Here's what the person said:

McCurry said that when Bush pulled Kerry back last night it was to ask him a
friendly question: "Where are you going to be on Election Night?"

McCurry said Kerry got the impression it was to set up the election night phone calls.

Kerry plans to be in Boston, Bush in Washington.

This seems to track with what I can observe...but still strikes me as a bit weird. After all, where the candidates will be on Election Night is hardly a secret. And can't the President basically find anyone in the world, anywhere, anytime, if he wants to talk to them?
posted by Vidiot at 5:32 AM on October 15, 2004

You know, they have to say SOMETHING. Think about it. 99.99% of the time it's going to be mundane, redundant, and pointless.

And if they were going to kick off some kind of mysterious meeting, would it be the two principals doing it? ON NATIONAL TV?

Relax, Vidiot. Some things are innocent even if George Bush is involved.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:17 AM on October 15, 2004

"These guys have a lot more in common than many of their supporters would have us believe."

In fact, they are distantly related.
posted by agregoli at 8:20 AM on October 15, 2004

Response by poster: Relax, Vidiot. Some things are innocent even if George Bush is involved.

I never said it wasn't innocent, and as you can see from what I've written above, I think it is. I just think it was an odd thing to say. I fully expected it to be "mundane, redundant, and pointless."
posted by Vidiot at 10:23 AM on October 15, 2004