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Bush's stands clear, Kerry's murky
Newsday ^ | September 7, 2004 | James P. Pinkerton

Posted on 09/07/2004 12:02:23 PM PDT by Kaslin

It's hard to beat an incumbent president in wartime. At least this early in a war.

Today, the fighting in Iraq is an abstraction to most people. Casualties are low - more Americans were killed in a few weeks' worth of Vietnam fighting - and there's no draft, so few Americans can argue that they are being called to face death against their will. And so the news from Iraq is easily shunted aside by news of hurricanes, political conventions or celebrity criminal cases.

And while the Iraq war is increasingly unpopular, the public still applauds George W. Bush's leadership in the overall "war on terror," stretching all the way back to 9/11. In fact, the president's resolve in the face of difficulty has become an asset to him. While critics might call the Iraq war misguided, his supporters call it proof of his character. Last week, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hailed W.'s "inner strength." The argument heard repeatedly at the Republican convention was that, whatever else, you know where Bush stands - he stands tall. And he stands even taller in the polls: 11 points ahead, according to a survey in Time magazine taken during the convention.

In fact, Bush seems to control all the high rhetorical ground this year. Bushian phrases - "axis of evil," "moral clarity," "pre-emption" - dominate the public consciousness, while Kerry scrambles for even one memorable soundbite

(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: bush; jamesppinkerton; kerry; w
Yet, while Kerry sits tongue-tied, Bush sallies forth to new oratorical heights. Having brilliantly fused 9/11 into Afghanistan into Iraq, the president now seeks a mandate to change the world. Americans, he said on Thursday, have received "a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom." That's heady stuff; delegates in Madison Square Garden loved it.

But does the Bush record of nation-building and democracy-fostering in Afghanistan and Iraq justify a further ambitious agenda for the planet? Are the Palestinians, the Russians and the Chinese - to name just three more hard cases - really going to board Bush's freedom train? And if not, what will we do? Those are good questions, but Kerry is not the man to ask them.

I think this says it all

1 posted on 09/07/2004 12:02:23 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off
the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!

THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!


2 posted on 09/07/2004 12:10:25 PM PDT by HawkeyeLonewolf (Christian First, American Second (Conservative Anti-Smoker))
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To: Kaslin
The Massachusetts man's most recent attempt at a soundbite was, "I'm John Kerry, and I'm reporting for duty." After the Swift boat attack, we're not going to hear that one any more

Don't count on it.

Proverbs 26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly.

3 posted on 09/07/2004 12:11:25 PM PDT by frog_jerk_2004
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To: Kaslin
In fact, Bush seems to control all the high rhetorical ground this year

But, but, how can that be?? Bush is so clumsy with the language ...

Seriously, Bush is now using the catch phrase "And you know where I stand on that" and that's the best one I've heard since "Where's the Beef?"

4 posted on 09/07/2004 12:14:03 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (I have two words for John Kerry: "YYYEEEEAAARRGGGHHHH!!!!")
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To: Kaslin
In fact, Bush seems to control all the high rhetorical ground this year. Bushian phrases - "axis of evil," "moral clarity," "pre-emption" - dominate the public consciousness

To say nothing of "Girlie Men".

5 posted on 09/07/2004 12:18:54 PM PDT by martin_fierro (A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
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To: Kaslin
Bush's stands clear, Kerry's murky

"That's 'nuanced.' I'm NUANCED!"

6 posted on 09/07/2004 12:20:23 PM PDT by martin_fierro (A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
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To: Kaslin

I think one of the big reasons the socialist/nazi left is against Bush is because he has done something unthinkable ... challenged the advice & counsel of the State Department!

He looked at 100 years of failed diplomacy and recognized that due to laws passed by Congress, he could not fire his counselors, ie. the careerists in the Dept of State. So, he had but one choice. Play to their game (negotiate), then proceed with his plan (war).

He went to Congress and received authorization to prosecute a war against terror (Islamofacists). He went to the U.N. and received authorization to prosecute Saddam. (He didn't need it, since Saddam was in violation of the 1991 cease fire. But the entrenched intelligentsia just ignored agreements for their irresponsible policies.)

When he wins in November, the question will be asked in Capitals around the World, "Who is next?". True, Iraq is a tremendous drain on our Treasury. But what did 9/11 cost, $1 Trillion? That is $1 Trillion that changed America and not the world. The next $1 Trillion should change the world.

Syria, Iran, Sudan, N. Korea; where will the wake-up call come?


7 posted on 09/07/2004 12:23:10 PM PDT by Prost1 (Why isn't Berger in jail?)
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To: Prost1
Re: I think one of the big reasons the socialist/nazi left is against Bush is because he has done something unthinkable ... challenged the advice & counsel of the State Department!

He looked at 100 years of failed diplomacy and recognized that due to laws passed by Congress, he could not fire his counselors, ie. the careerists in the Dept of State. So, he had but one choice. Play to their game (negotiate), then proceed with his plan (war).

He went to Congress and received authorization to prosecute a war against terror (Islamofacists). He went to the U.N. and received authorization to prosecute Saddam. (He didn't need it, since Saddam was in violation of the 1991 cease fire. But the entrenched intelligentsia just ignored agreements for their irresponsible policies.)

When he wins in November, the question will be asked in Capitals around the World, "Who is next?". True, Iraq is a tremendous drain on our Treasury. But what did 9/11 cost, $1 Trillion? That is $1 Trillion that changed America and not the world. The next $1 Trillion should change the world.

Syria, Iran, Sudan, N. Korea; where will the wake-up call come?


Great analysis

8 posted on 09/07/2004 12:38:13 PM PDT by Kaslin (Stick a fork in Kerry, he is done)
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To: Kaslin

Kerry will put our military under the control of America Hater Koffi Annan.............
As he will downsize the military and cut defense and intelligence spending...........
Hanoi John auctually has his picture hanging in a communist museaum in saigon...........
And this Guy is the Liberals new messiah ? why does that not surprise me?


9 posted on 09/07/2004 12:41:55 PM PDT by LOSERLIBERALS (KERRY WAS FOR THE WAR BEFORE HE WAS AGAINST IT !)
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To: LOSERLIBERALS
I have said it many times and I say it again:

God help this country if the voters are stupid enough to elect this traitor for the highest office of the country

I do have confidence though that this is not going to happen

10 posted on 09/07/2004 1:07:11 PM PDT by Kaslin (Stick a fork in Kerry, he is done)
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To: LOSERLIBERALS
You've started two threads here:

Clintons want Kerry to lose
Pulled.

"W" STANDS FOR WINNER ! GEORGE W. BUSH "F" STANDS FOR FLIP FLOP ^
Pulled.

You are making the kitties a bit nervous.
11 posted on 09/07/2004 2:07:33 PM PDT by RandallFlagg (<a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com" target="_blank">Hatriotism)
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