The President discussed why diplomacy is working with Iran and North Korea. Kerry said the Britain, the French, and the Germans started the diplomacy with Iran.

The President wants to continue the six-party negotiations with North Korea. Kerry wants them and bilateral negotiations as well. The President said the six-party would fall apart if you opened bi-lateral as well.

Neither would do anything substantial for Darfur.

Lehrer stated that there are “obviously major policy differences between the two of you.” That’s what Kerry wants.

The President is pushing that we have to be certain, resolute.

They complimented each other and their families, they talked a little back and forth. Methinks that they’re relieved to be almost done with this TV show.

Kerry says that one can be certain and be wrong.

The President was specific. He will not “change my core values.”

Kerry says he’s never wilted or wavered. And that he’s been consistent. He said that Saddam was dangerous, we had to disarm him, but we shouldn’t have rushed to do it.

Kerry’s worried about “nuclear proliferation.” (He wrote a book about it.) Methinks Kerry’s found a topic about which we can speak with some degree of credibility. He’s criticizing the President for pursuing a new type of bunker-busting nuclear weapon. “It sends the wrong signal.” (Kenneth, what’s the frequency?)

The President brought up missile defense as a way to protect the country.

Kerry believes nuclear proliferation is the most dangerous problem facing our country. The President says it’s WMD in the hands of terrorists.

Kerry called again for bilateral talks with North Korea, and the President is lecturing him on why that would be wrong. (It’s what Kim John Il wants, and it would cause the 6-party talks to break down. We’d lose China.)

The President stressed his relationship with Putin. Kerry talked about being in Russia when the “transition was made.”

Kerry’s convinced that we would not lose China, because China also has a stake.

Kerry’s finishing strong.

In his closing statement, Kerry again mentioned that he defended the country in Vietnam. And he has plans of all sorts. “The future belongs to freedom, not to fear.”

In his closing statement, the President pointed out that “we will continue to” build alliances, protect America, spread freedom, etc. He spoke of spreading liberty “in the broader middle east.” He’s looking back at what we’ve been through together.

The end of the debate.