Arguing over who can best lead the nation in war, Senator John Kerry charges that Americans have been left with "this incredible mess in Iraq" while President George W. Bush says US troops look at the Democratic challenger and wonder, "How can I follow this guy?"
From the first question on Thursday night, Kerry went on the offensive, accusing Bush of leaving US alliances around the world "in shatters" and ordering a war in Iraq that was a "colossal error in judgment."
Bush noted that Kerry voted to authorize the same war he now criticizes.
"That's not how a commander in chief acts," Bush charged.
Three post-debate opinion polls suggested voters were impressed by Kerry, with most of those surveyed saying he did better than Bush. Such instant polls reflect the views of debate watchers and not the public at large. Initial reactions to a debate can change after a few days have passed.
Less than five weeks before the election, Iraq dominated the debate. Overall, more than 1,000 US soldiers have died in Iraq.
Kerry summed up Bush's strategy for Iraq as "more of the same." Bush acknowledged that not every American agrees with the decisions he's made.
"But people know where I stand," Bush said, suggesting they don't know where Kerry stands. "People out there listening know what I believe."
Both candidates were rushing back to the campaign trail yesterday trying to convince voters they each won their opening debate.
Bush was heading out to rallies in Pennsylvania and New Hamp-shire, two key battleground states while Kerry was spending the day campaigning in Florida, where the presidential race was decided four years ago.
In Thursday night's encounter at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Bush and Kerry drew heavily on oft-repeated lines from their campaign speeches but they faced each other directly across the same stage for the first time.
Bush appeared irritated when Kerry leveled some of his charges, scowling at times and looking away in apparent disgust at others. Kerry often took notes when the president spoke. The television networks offered a split screen to viewers so they could see both men at the same time and watch their reactions.
On Iraq, Bush criticized Kerry for saying it was the wrong war at the wrong time in the wrong place.
"What message does that send to our troops?" Bush said. "Not a message a commander in chief gives."
Repeating a line he has used countless times to show his opponent is inconsistent, Bush tweaked Kerry for saying he voted for an US$87 billion spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan before he voted against it.
Kerry shot back, "Well, you know, when I talked bout the US$87 billion, I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?"
Trying to persuade voters that he is tough enough to be commander in chief, Kerry said, "I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are."
He said that Bush, in invading Iraq, lost sight of the goal of capturing terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.
But Bush insisted that "the world is safer without former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein." He called Iraq "a central part in the war on terror" and said 75 percent of bin Laden's leadership had been brought to justice.
Trying to turn Kerry's criticism against him, Bush said, "I understand what it means to be the commander in chief. And if I were to ever say, 'This is the wrong war at the wrong time at the wrong place,' the troops would wonder, `How can I follow this guy?"'
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