What They Liked, What They Didn’t

THE SCHOLAR: Eloise Anderson, Director of the Claremont Institute’s Program for the American Family, Sacramento, Republican

ON CHENEY: “I think that Cheney helped Bush. I think that people thought he was going to be dull and boring...but to me what he showed is how these two are going to fit together and what kind of a team they’re going to be.”

ON LIEBERMAN: “I liked the way that Lieberman, unlike Al Gore, followed the rules...[but] I thought he whined too much. It was always somebody else’s problem other than theirs, other than the present administration.”

ADVANTAGE...: Cheney

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THE MOVIE EXEC: Mark Gill, President of Miramax Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Democrat

ON CHENEY: “When Cheney said that he had enjoyed being in the debate, I’d like you to find me one person in America who believed him at that moment. He was so obviously deeply uncomfortable.”

ON LIEBERMAN: “His warmth and humor came through. He’s obviously a deeply moral, ethical man and it’s a real pleasure to see that...Maybe the debate didn’t have fireworks, but I actually welcomed the sense of decorum.

ADVANTAGE...: Lieberman

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THE RABBI: Rabbi Susan Laemmle, Dean of Religious Life, USC, Los Angeles, Democrat

ON CHENEY: “He was very ideological. In effect, he had no vision at all, just a laundry list of issues and policy...I think he did very well. He was very fluent in the issues, although he might seem a bit relentless.”

ON LIEBERMAN: “Believe me, every Jew was waiting to see what would happen with the Middle East question and I think he handled it beautifully. He absolutely exploded any concern that here’s a guy who is going to be a friend of hard-line Israel...”

ADVANTAGE...: Neither

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THE WRITER: Mary Helen Ponce, Novelist and nonfiction writer, Sunland, Democrat

ON CHENEY: “Now I know why men want to vote for Bush and Cheney...they’re both kind of like the kid in the lot, real in-your face. All Cheney needed was his spurs...He did very well on the policy matters, but he was fact-fact-fact...”

ON LIEBERMAN: “He seems like a cherub. I imagine him with little wings...He was very well-informed and articulate, but I would have liked him to be more assertive...He was more eloquent and thoughtful than Cheney.”

ADVANTAGE...: Neither

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THE PASTOR: Rev. Louis B. Sheldon, Chairman of Traditional Values Coalition, Anaheim, Republican ON CHENEY: “Cognitively, he was fabulous. I thought he answered the questions precisely. If I were reading it on a piece of paper, I would be very excited. But watching him...it didn’t do much for me.”

ON LIEBERMAN: “It was also like a monologue. The voice didn’t have much of a range of volume. They started out by saying, ‘Were going to be nice guys,’ so we had the Nice Guy Show. I don’t think he answered Mr. Cheney on a lot of occasions...”

ADVANTAGE...: Cheney

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THE REPORTER: Jake Tapper, Political writer for Salon.com, Washington, Independent

ON CHENEY: “He was very measured, confident and reassuring. It’s the same face CNN viewers recall from the Gulf War...Cheney obviously knows what he’s talking about, especially in foreign policy...Cheney held his own.”

ON LIEBERMAN: “He seemed like a very thoughtful, devout man. The only on [he] mentioned more than John McCain was God...Lieberman is charming, while Gore is charmless...Lieberman is a much more naturally funny guy.”

ADVANTAGE...: Neither