\If you listen to the Democrats, George W. Bush is not only a moron who can barely tie his own shoes, but he's the most brilliant debater in the history of western civilization.""
-Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson
""Is that your final answer?""
-How the president might make light of Kerry's shifting positions in the debate tonight, according to an aide to the president
""You look back at the election in 1978-compared to today's election, that was the Sunday School election.""
-Kent Hance, who defeated Bush in a 1978 congressional contest, the only election Bush has ever lost
""These are journalists doing a service to their country. They cover these guys. How can they climb into bed with them?""
-Northeastern University professor Alan Schroeder, on the Bush and Kerry campaign attempts to force the moderators of the debate to sign agreements accepting the rules of the debate
""At one point he called me a chicken hawk because I was strong on defense but hadn't served in Vietnam. He forgot that I was sixteen when the war ended.""
-James Rappaport, who lost to John Kerry in the 1990 Massachusetts election.
""It seems as if negotiating the first nuclear test ban treaty was a little easier than that.""
-MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, on negotiating the debate provisions
""I think the best question that would stop the show is the question that Bush couldn't handle in his press conference: name a mistake you've made as president.""
-USA Today columnist Walter Shapiro
""We're not going to follow directions from outside sources.""
-Fox News spokesperson Paul Schur, on the television networks' decision to ignore the debate agreements of the Bush and Kerry campaigns. One of the stipulations called for no candidate or audience reaction shots.
""Be prepared for the toughest debates of your life.""
-One of the pieces of advice offered to John Kerry by former Vice President Al Gore
