Posted on 10/24/2004 11:30:33 AM PDT by kingattax
For nervous Democrats, observing the presidential campaign at this point is akin to watching an imminent train wreck. The Bush war-president express is barreling full steam ahead and the Kerry Hope-Is-On-The-Way bus is speeding along, trying to cross the tracks unscathed. In 2000, Al Gore's bus managed to get across without being hit, but then it stopped and backed up, so Bush & Co. could smash it to smithereens.
This time Bush's train is fueled by its slight lead in the polls and its boilers are being stoked with trumped-up Mary Cheney insults, Swift Boat and Sinclair traitor charges, alleged Iraq war wimpiness, and homeland security fears. Kerry is stomping on the gas pedal with a lead foot, attempting to drive home the obvious: Bush's botched Iraq adventure -- not just his original big stick policy, but his incompetence in wielding it; his economic follies and job losses; Bush's desire to privatize Social Security, and his neglectful handling of the simplest things, such as guaranteeing sufficient flu vaccine for the nation.
But this late in the campaign most of the electorate is transfixed, just standing back awaiting the outcome: a collision or its absence. The issues tossed up don't even have enough time to float back to the ground.
The Republicans managed to seize the post-debate stage with the protestations of outrage by the Cheneys over Kerry's mention of their daughter, Mary, the former Coors beer gay-liaison spokesperson and current ''manager'' of her father's campaign. No matter that father Dick gratuitously brought her lesbianism up in a campaign appearance when the question asked didn't allude to her or it, or the fact that she is being paid handsomely to advise him raises the issue of nepotism more than her well-advertised sexual preference, or that her parents' studied indignation is the cause of all the saturation coverage of the subject -- not Kerry's modest use of her in his answer to the homosexual ''born-or-made'' question in the third debate.
In the same vein, Kerry's discussion of Bush's longstanding hope to privatize Social Security, prompted by an off-hand mention in a magazine article devoted to Bush's ''faith-based'' presidency, elicited similar howls of protest, along with claims that Bush never used the word and that Ron Suskind, the article's author, ''made it up.'' And, as before, the usual media suspects pounded their irate drums as loud as possible, and the rest of the press dutifully followed behind, reporting the made-up controversy.
The U.S. private pension system has always favored the wealthy; Social Security doesn't, and Bush wants to change that. But since we are in the train-wreck phase of the campaign, it is all just startling noise. In any close race, during the home stretch, the betting crowds are usually standing and screaming.
The Bush campaign running with such issues is grabbing at straws, but it is effective. The supposed insulting of Mary Cheney has more emotional traction with Bush's base than pointing out the flu vaccine shortage has with Kerry's: flu doesn't register as high on the passion index as family. Only if al-Qaida went into the Liverpool (known for the dank cellar the Beatles emerged from) factory and contaminated the doses of vaccine would the issue gain sufficient traction -- even though it does highlight any number of Bush administration failings: its downplaying of ''big'' government's role in protecting the public from possible epidemics, the consequences of profit-driven medical practice and the utter absence of oversight and planning, a hallmark of the Bush presidency.
Because of 2000, when Gore won the popular vote by a half-million, this election has become not so much a national contest, but a demonstration of state power: We may end up with the president West Virginia wants us to have. In these final days, one thing does stand out: President Bush's otherworldly confidence, the attribute that might get him a second term. He has never accepted the charge that he was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. Bush believes he came to bat like anyone else and hit a home run. It is disturbing that he believes that, but it's clear he truly does.
this article is hilarious & just a sign of what's to come on Nov. 3 when the real handwringing begins ;)
What an elitist jerk! "That damn electoral college will give the presidency to those dirty hillbillies in West Virginia! Ugh!"
O'Rourke is a mutant butt monkey
The author stands proudly with Terrorists and will be celebrating with them if wig boy wins.
Interesting how they use the words "trumped-up" and "alleged" for the statements made by Bush - but the statements by Kerry's cabal are NEVER CHALLENGED as being anything other than the truth - when in fact - MOST OF THEM ARE EASILY RESEARCHED AND FOUND TO BE LIES.
Hmmmm? We see what you're doing SUN TIMES and that's why WE WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR KERRY.
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