[KantianBurke]

Less "compassion." More conservatism please. Start with ditching the AWB.

[McGavin999]

He didn't talk to me. And anyone who is so stupid they don't realize that the war on terror is the central issue is just too dumb for me to worry about. I can't believe how uninformed these people are.

That's like someone worrying about a hangnail while their car is being carjacked.

[reed_inthe_wind]

The tide will change once the Dem frontrunner is crowned. We will slap the snot out of him.

[sarasota]

Hatred carries with it more intense/negative emotion. Love, on the other hand, carries with it respect and trust and a calm strength. While the Dems rage on, Republicans stand with a strong resolve.

[Doug Loss]

Most states enjoyed record turnouts for the Democratic primaries—and sometimes by thumping margins.

Funny, the numbers I've seen show exactly the opposite, that the turnouts for the Democrat primaries were much below the norms. I wonder if he's lying about other things too? Naah, he wouldn't do that I'm sure...

[Wright is right!]

"Most states enjoyed record turnouts for the Democratic primaries—and sometimes by thumping margins."

I don't think this sentence is at all correct. And much of the article strikes me as a lot of wishful thimking.

Whilst it is true that there is a lot of anti-Dubya rancor out there, a prime of example of how this enmity fails to translate into actual votes is the Dean non-campaign.

Dean certainly motivated and mobilized a lot of young pipple, but for them the real joy was the PROCEDURE. Actually voting was a letdown. It was like a giant game to them, a real adrenalin booster. But despite all the buzz about the revolutionary way Deaniacs were organizing, the fact is that there were far too few of them to really make the guy happen.

The Dean movement reminded me a little too much of the Sci-Fi-Convention scene, where participants go - not for the sci-fi, but for the sex. I think when the truth is finally written BY some Deaniacs, we'll find that this youth-for-Dean movement was more about sex than anything else. How better to find and hook up with new partners?

Michael

[Freemyland]

They hate Bush, but do they love Kerry?

[beckysueb]

This crap about Bush having lukewarm support among his base is just that; crap! Its an attempt to constantly hit at our love for our President. If they get us discouraged enough and turn some Independents well then they've accomplished what they have set out to do. Besides, they have lukewarm support for THEIR candidate. They try to tear down our good feelings to make themselves feel better. I didn't see any lukewarm support from the NAASCAR crowd or the NG when Bush made appearences. This is all baloney! Two little appearences and his poll numbers are up. Just wait till after the Dim primarys and watch him go!

[wjcsux]

William H. Rehnquist, born: October 1, 1924...79 years old.

John Paul Stevens, born: April 20, 1920...83 years old.

Sandra Day O'Connor, born: March 26, 1930...73 years old.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, born: March 15, 1933...70 years old.

Antonin Scalia, born: March 11, 1936...67 years old.

Anthony M. Kennedy, born: July 23, 1936...67 years old.

Stephen G. Breyer, born: August 15, 1938...65 years old.

David Hackett Souter, born: September 17, 1939...64 years old.

Clarence Thomas, born: June 23, 1948...55 years old.

Here is all the reason one needs to ensure that GWB gets your vote.

[FlipWilson]

I think the President will soon take up the fight against gay marriage in the form of taking on "judicial activism." (This could dove tail nicely with what the Dems have been doing to his judicial nominees.) I have a feeling this may stoke some of the "passion" of conservatives.

[muskogee]

"Steeeerike one!"
"Hey ump, you can't call a strike on him. The first pitch hasn't been thrown yet."

[Faithfull]

I agree with many others here that my disappointment in the Bush administration is increasing. President Bush now appears to have to weigh all his words before he speaks- and is it because this is an election year? I miss the 'old' President Bush- forceful, bold and unafraid.
The illegal immigration issues, the trade deficit and the gay marriage issues need to be addressed by the President- and from a conservative position IF he is to gain back the passion many of us once had for him. I can't understand why the Bush team can't see what is so clear to the rest of us patriots.

[GraniteStateConservative]

1976 all over again. Deep hatred from the opposition, an incumbent who has 46-52% job approval and lukewarm intensity from his supporters. It yields a narrow popular vote loss for Bush.

[Buckeye McFrog]

only a TRUE LIB could even CONCEIVE of a term
like "Passion Deficit"!

[George W. Bush]

One reader stressed that the interest on our national debt this coming year will be a bigger expenditure than will be our national defense—a development that almost certainly will weaken our national defense.

I looked at the debt load recently and got this table from from the Bureau of the Public Debt:

Available Historical Data FISCAL Year End
2003	$318,148,529,151.51
2002	$332,536,958,599.42
2001	$359,507,635,242.41
2000	$361,997,734,302.36
1999	$353,511,471,722.87
1998	$363,823,722,920.26
1997	$355,795,834,214.66
1996	$343,955,076,695.15
1995	$332,413,555,030.62
1994	$296,277,764,246.26
1993	$292,502,219,484.25
1992	$292,361,073,070.74
1991	$286,021,921,181.04
1990	$264,852,544,615.90
1989	$240,863,231,535.71
1988	$214,145,028,847.73

In the first four months this year, we've already borrowed another $128 billion. On Februrary 5, we just passed $7 trillion of debt. The debt ceiling is at $7.4 trillion. And Bush is already pushing to get Congress to raise it another trillion to $8.3 trillion.

Supposedly, this raise of debt ceiling is to reform Social Security. But there is no such legislation on the table yet! Just the request to raise the debt limit. One must wonder if S.S. reform is the real reason to raise the debt limit or if this is just a big fake-out so the GOP can spend even more. And the bills will start coming due for the Pill Bill in 2006.

And we have idiots here at FR that think this growth of debt is meaningless.

If we were not in debt, we could double our defense department overnight.

I don't want a peace dividend. I want my debt dividend. Screwing off more than $300 billion a year because we won't put our financial house in order is pretty appalling.

Given that the Dims live to spend, what is the excuse for the supposed business party, the GOP, allowing these debts to grow and grow by funding the biggest spending since LBJ's Great Society programs and then passing the biggest new entitlement in 40 years? (And an entitlement that hasn't even bought the votes of seniors to boot!)

When you think about this stuff and see the sodomy marriages moving forward on all fronts, you wonder if Gore did win the 2000 election.

[Right_in_Virginia]

" It could still turn out to be another media bubble that will ultimately burst in Mr. Bush's favor. "

Change the "could" to "will" and you've got it exactly right, Mr. Belz

[kabar]

The Presidetnial campaign hasn't even started. The Dems don't have a ticket yet and the nominating conventions start only in late Summer. Passion only lasts so long. Once the GOP campaign machine starts up and let's its base know what is at stake, I think there will be plenty of passion all the way around. This is going to be a mean, dirty election.