WTF? When shown split-screen, why was Kerry sized a lot smaller than bush?

[milkyway]

I worked late tonight and just finished watching the debate on tape from CNN. I assume all the networks used the same shots. Why was bush shot so much tighter than Kerry? This made Kerry look small (weak), as if he was standing ten feet behind bush. This drove me crazy the entire debate. Who did the production tonight?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I thought it was that way in the first debate too

Unfortunately, nothing can make Bush look better when contrasted with an articulate intelligent person...they seemed to wash Kerry's color out a bit too...unless Bush just has the most photogenic gin blossoms ever.

[Frances]

2. I noticed that too

Bush was shot much closer up than Kerry.

It was extremely distracting to me.

However, Bush just looked more foolish and Kerry more statesmanlike.

[Pachamama]

3. Here's why Bush looked "bigger"....

Because of the height difference of Kerry towering over Bush, when they stand at the lectern, its very noticeable....So they attempt to show the top of their heads "even" level....Meanwhile, what happens is that the top of Bush's Lectern clearly is much "higher" than Kerry's....So then if you watch the camera angles/shots closely, the camera on Bush then zooms in where they can move the lectern completely out of the picture so that it isn't noticeable in comparison to Kerry's. The net result - they had to zoom in to the point on Bush where he looks "bigger"....

[dave123williams]

4. Watch some more, and more closely...

You'll note that when Kerry speaks, they will often slowwwwly zoom out on him, and when * speaks, they slowwwwwwly zoom in. This kind of zoom-in is used often in soap-operas to heighten the sense of intimacy with a character. Guess what the zoom-out does?

[soothsayer]

5. Towards the end, they zoomed in on Kerry tho---I noticed it. It was nice

Whenever you couldn't see his timing light.

[liberal N proud]

6. Kerry is a larger person, both physically and mentally

This was something they (shrubs boys) negotiated to try to even the playing field. Make their boy look like something is is not.
Similar to the podium thing

[A-Schwarzenegger]

7. Bush looked like a big funny redface grinning giant.