Posted on 09/18/2004 2:50:25 AM PDT by Clive
John Kerry's Vietnam heroics are the obsession of 'soft' America. 'Hard' America, concerned about the war on terror, backs George Bush, says Salim Mansur
By SALIM MANSUR -- For the Toronto Sun
This week's edition of Time magazine tells us where the U.S. presidential election stands as it enters the final stretch.
Its polls taken in the days following the Republican convention show President George Bush is 11 points ahead of Senator John Kerry.
On specific issues such as being commander-in-chief and waging war on terrorism, Bush leads Kerry by over 20 points. Where Kerry led in early summer, on the economy and among women, Bush pulled ahead.
Although other polls in the past week have shown Kerry coming closer again, the fact that Bush had such a post-convention bounce, while Kerry did not, goes against the wisdom of expert commentators who sensed difficulties in Iraq would be viewed as the president's failings.
America since the 2000 election, according to the same pollsters and pundits, has become a polarized country between the left and right.
Another way to view this polarization is offered by Michael Barone, columnist and author, as two Americas, "hard" and "soft."
People in mainstream media, for instance, or in Hollywood, in universities and those who take filmmaker Michael Moore and left-wing intellectual Noam Chomsky seriously, generally belong to "soft" America and vote for Democrats. Those voting for Republicans belong to "hard" America.
In a recent study, the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found that five times more journalists identify themselves as liberal or "soft" than as conservatives or "hard."
In reflecting this polarity, Evan Thomas, assistant managing editor of Newsweek magazine, spoke in early July about the U.S. media's role in the November election. His widely quoted remark was the "media wants Kerry to win" and to this end will portray him in a way "that's going to be worth 15 points."
The extent to which the U.S. mainstream media, except for Fox News -- denied to Canadian viewers by guardians of the airwaves in Ottawa -- will go to secure a Kerry win was exposed in the clumsy episode of Dan Rather and CBS disinterring a story from more than 30 years ago about young George W. Bush's record in the Texas Air National Guard.
Rather's reporting was based on what now appear to be forged documents, though neither he nor his employers are yet prepared to confess to being duped.
It seems Kerry's overzealous friends have ironically become his baggage, making it difficult for him to connect with "hard" America if he is to win.
Kerry's problem is, as indicated in his Time interview, being stuck in the past. He says, "my record of fighting for this country since I was a young man is going to eclipse the disastrous choices ... made by George Bush."
Vietnam and Kerry's heroics there are the obsession of "soft" America.
"Hard" America is concerned about the present war on terrorism with an enemy on the rampage from Baghdad to Beslan, from Jakarta to Jerusalem.
Little understanding
The more Kerry talks about "bringing religious leaders together, including moderate mullahs, clerics, imams" for a dialogue, he confirms how little he understands hard realities of being at war with a vicious enemy.
Moreover, Bush's past does not stick to him so long as Kerry keeps revealing himself as another patrician version of Shakespeare's Hamlet -- stalemated by the gift of seeing all sides of any issue.
There are barely six weekends left in the campaign and anything can happen in these perilous times.
For Kerry, junior Senator from Massachusetts, however, the task is first to make an exit from his own quagmire.
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"The more Kerry talks about "bringing religious leaders together, including moderate mullahs, clerics, imams" for a dialogue, he confirms how little he understands hard realities of being at war with a vicious enemy."
True.
I'm a little tipsy... but did anyone notice this...
J-ohn K-erry... Now switch the first letters...
J-erry K-ohn
Genghis Kahn... Now how did John Kerry pronounce that during his testimony? What kind of atrocities did he commit? Reminiscent of who?
Sorry, I thought that was funny. Must be the beer.
In other words, Kerry would be polling in the mid 20's if not for the MSM.
John Kahn...I like it.
It rhymes...and describes him...:)
How fataly accurate.
"generally belong to "soft" America and vote for Democrats. Those voting for Republicans belong to "hard" America."
And it's always the "hard" Americans going to war to protect the soft American's @sses.
I feel, like, so polarized, dude.
I deeply resent kerry being compared to Hamlet.
Hamlet was not conflicted by 'too much examination'.
Among all those in the play, only he saw clearly.
He held to his truth even when all around him thought him mad.
His "madness" was that of a man who knows what he knows; a man who raged against deception in spite of what everyone else forced themselves to "believe".
His single-minded pursuit of justice cost him the love and respect of all he held dear yet he did not waver, regardless of "opinion".
In the end, his truth was revealed to all as *the* truth, even at the cost of his own life.
That ain't kerry by a long shot.
[Lady MacBeth, more likely]
I'm still laughing at the National Guard head introducing him as Senator John Kennedy the other day.....
Terrorists have joined with Iraqi insurgents in a noisy, devastating way. Regardless, it is co-operative. If we weren't there, they would be doing it in a quiet, devastating way. Saddam was more than happy to give aid and protection to Yosef! Why didn't Yosef go to Afghanistan to be with Usama and friends?
Be Real! Be Wise!
Are you PUI?
I have been soft and I have been hard. Hard is better.
"Kerry talks about "bringing religious leaders together, including moderate mullahs, clerics, imams" for a dialogue"
And Christians???
I doubt it, since he already listed his 'base'.
Carefully "nuanced" defense and a more "sensitive" war on terror won't cut it.
W = WIN.
Since when is "nuanced" a synonym for "incoherent"?
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