Followers stick to party lines after last battle of candidates

MOSES LAKE — The reaction from Basin politicos to the third and last debate between President George W. Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry was as diametrically distinct as it was after the first one.

Tom Dent, chairman of the Grant County Republicans, said President Bush had exhibited true leadership and had "answered every charge."

On the other hand, Ellen Webb, from the Grant County Democrats' Get Out The Vote initiative, said Wednesday's debate had been the perfect closing for Kerry.

"(Kerry) answered all the questions," she said. "He called Bush on all the falsehoods he has been accused of."

Webb criticized the president's demeanor during the debate, in particular what she termed "childish, snide remarks," by the president.

"Kerry tries to stick to the subject," she said. "I am disappointed that the president gets so sarcastic and nasty."

Dent assailed Kerry's mention of Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, when both candidates were asked about gay rights.

W. Ron Baker, state committeeman for the county's Republican Party said the president had come through "like the champ that he is," putting pressure on his opponent all evening, and vowing to stay the course on topics like the war on terrorism.

"It's better to take the battle to the terrorists," Baker said.

He further praised the president, saying Bush was on track in his stance on supporting the No Child Left Behind Act.

This is not a good thing, Webb said.

"Everybody with kids knows that No Child Left Behind is a debacle," she said. "The president must be assuming people are paying no attention."

Webb said that Bush showed he was a president who has not done anything on domestic affairs, the focus of Wednesday's debate, except on education, "and (Bush) did not even fund that."

Baker disagreed, giving his candidate an A-plus on his performance during the debate.

"Bush came through (in a) fantastic (way)," he said.