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You've brought up some excellent and relevant points regarding why Bush may lose your state this time. Since Kerry supported the Iraq War (though now a disingenuous critic thereof) and he is a real Vietnam War hero, among other things, the military veterans won't have the same problem with him as they did with Clinton, or even Algore. Therefore, the anti-war one-issue voters will go with the liberal Kerry by default.

IMHO, in those more industrial "swing states" like yours, the swing voters will either give the issue of JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, the highest prority OR it will come down to the social issues of GOD, GAYS, GUNS and ABORTION, especially given the large number of gun owning, Catholic, union members in your state and certain others!

he is a real Vietnam War hero

NO HE IS NOT!!!!!!#$#$*_^@#()

Sorry, but that just irks the hell out of me seeing that repeated over and over. He got the silver star for doing once what my dad did all the time over there. He likely got it since he was an officer.

And my dad was not a war hero(his words). He simply did his duty, and while he didn't agree with a lot of how the war was run, he didn't turn his back on this country like Kerry did.

IMHO, in those more industrial "swing states" like yours, the swing voters will either give the issue of JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, the highest prority OR it will come down to the social issues of GOD, GAYS, GUNS and ABORTION, especially given the large number of gun owning, Catholic, union members in your state and certain others!

No question that the GGGA issues will be important with some segments of the population. Jobs and the economy will likely have a broader appeal. Bush and the Republicans need to find a way to blunt the Rat attacks on this front. In places like Kucinich country and a few others, the salient issue will be, as always, "free money from da gummint", and there isn't much we can do in terms of rational debate to reach people who hold that as their central value.

I was having a discussion the other day with some women from my parish about the abortion thing. There seems to be a continuing disconnect between practicing Catholics who claim to adhere to the teachings of the church, and their support of political leaders who push a pro-abortion agenda. Both of these ladies are smart and highly educated (one is a Ph.D. in theology from Loyola). We were talking about the political issue of abortion and I mentioned that the Rat candidates all support unlimited abortion on demand, while Republicans generally take a pro-life position. The one lady then stated something like, "Well, yes, but that really isn't too important for a President, because it's the Supreme Court that interprets the law in those cases." Then I pointed out, "Yes, and who gets to decide who sits on the Supreme Court?" She thought a minute, and then said, "Well, I think the Senate votes on nominees made by...", and then, with seemingly dawning astonishment, said, "...the President...". It was like, bingo, the light came on.

I really find it amazing that I have to teach supposedly educated people things that I can remember learning in high school government classes.