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Voting With My Head and My Heart

The new 527 ad - Ashley's Story - is one of the most powerful election ads I've seen in a long time. ashley.gifIt's powerful for me in a different way than it might be for an undecided voter. I have already made my decision to vote for George Bush. Ashley's Story just underscores one of the main emotional reasons why I am voting for him. There are many points people address when they are talking who they are voting for. This election, it's the war on terror for some, the economy for others. There's education, welfare, taxes, health care and a myriad of other issues that voters consider before making their choice. But there's something else, at least for me. That's the intangibles. The things that a candidate won't base a whole campaign on but nonetheless are vital to gaining confidence in voters who are thinking about voting for them. What is evident about George Bush in this ad is one of those vital things that give me faith and hope enough to vote for him with confidence. His sincerity, his passion and his compassion are all on display here. What's moving is that the captured moment in Ashley's Story was spontaneous; it wasn't scripted, it wasn't planned out in advance. It's just a brief moment that shows the true spirit of what lies beneath George Bush, President. Oh, there are some who look at our President and see a liar, a thief, a devil in disguise. They refute even this small yet powerful gesture of the President, one in which he comforted a young girl whose mother died on September 11, 2001. They won't see what they don't want to believe. What I see is a man with integrity. I see a man who believes in every word he says, who truly believes that he is doing what is right for this country and the world. He has passion and compassion and displays them both without the prompt of cue cards or the clandestine whisperings of Karl Rove. When I listen to George Bush speak, I hear honesty. I hear a man who believes his own words. I hear the voice of trust. There are many other reasons why I am voting for George Bush, all of which I have stated here before. But it's what I see in this ad that encompasses all of the emotional reasons why I trust this man to be my president. It's not enough that Bush stands for the issues that are most important to me this election; in order to get my vote I have to believe in his sincerity and trust him with my life and the lives of my children. That I do. I have to vote with both my head and my heart, and they both want to vote for George W. Bush on November 2.

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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Voting With My Head and My Heart:

» Indeed from scrawlville.com
By now just about everyone has had their response up to the new Ashley Ad. I saw the ad and was touched by it for many of the same reasons Michele is. She tells it better than I do, so... [Read More]

» Ashleys' Story from Secure Liberty
For many voters in this year's election, this commercial, Ashley's Story, will validate their choice of Geroge W. Bush for President. It's a touching, emotional tribute to George W. Bush the man, not the politician. Therein lies its effectiveness....... [Read More]

» The 10 Spot - Around The World Edition from Wizbang
Ten things you might not have seen on the Internets... Simon of Simon World has a very interesting recap of pollster John Zogby's lecture to a Hong Kong audience. A view of the Red Sox - Yankees series from Iraq.... [Read More]

» George Bush Is a Good Man from MartiniPundit
And the right man for the job. Earlier this year, at a campaign rally, Bush learned that Ashley Faulkner, standing nearby, had lost her mother on 9/11 - he turned back, and comforted her. You can hear what this meant to her here. A glass raised to ... [Read More]

» Some Political Ads Worth Sharing from Observations from an Empty Well
This ad was quite moving: see Ashley's Story. My thanks to Michele at A Small Victory for this one. [Read More]

» POLITICS: Why Others Are Supporting Bush from Baseball Crank
ELECTION EVE UPDATE: This is my final update to this post, which you may or may not find to be a useful resource. May the best man win. Well, I’ve more or less said my piece about who I’m supporting... [Read More]

Comments

And Cue the moonbats in 5....4....3....

While you'll be voting with your head and heart, I plan on using my index finger. It'll be pressing the part of the screen with the big W.

When I listen to George Bush speak, I hear honesty. I hear a man who believes his own words.

Yeah, right. That's why he told all those lies in the debates, like he doesn't own a timber company and he never said he wasn't concerned about Osama bin Laden.

I can't believe you fell for this, Michele. He's just using that girl for a campaign photo op. It's disgusting.

Personally I liked the photo op on the morning of 9/11 when he was reading to the kindergarten class. He sat there looking dazed and frightened for 7 minutes while our country was under attack. His aides were visibly alarmed while he just sat there helplessly. You have to see it. It's in Fahrenheit 9/11. I highly recommend it.

GO REDSOCKS!!!!!!!!!!

Michele, your post is dead-on. Notice that the Kerry fan's rebuttal references an old ABB story - nothing about the heart and character of their man....live in the South but I'm pulling for the Red Sox, but that last post is enough to make me switch sides! Nah, surely there's some Republicans in Boston! Go NL!

Cue in the children. Good God.

Havent seen the "mission accomplished" footage yet? You know the one where he lands on the carrier telling us in effect that major combat operations were over.

ah Jay? the major operations were over at that time and have not yet restarted. don't let the facts get in the way of your idiocy.

RF - do you know who the Pres gets his marching orders in certain times of uncertainity and confusion ie 9/11? the Secret Service. if you had bothered to read the 9/11 report you wd have noted that Bush did the only thing he cd have done during the oh so valuable 7 minutes and only after the SS gave the orders cd he leave.

yeah those 7 minutes...why if he jumped up and ran out the door OBL's body wd be on display at the Smithsonian, Iraq wd have finally capitulated to all of the previous 12 yr demands, Israel and the Arabs wd have a peace treaty and moon bats wd all be on Oz hanging out with the bat boy drinking margaritas. buy a clue.

Knowlingly voting for a proven failure.

Your head and heart need to be given a shake.

Hen the point is mission is not accomplished hence the footage of the landing on the aircraft (which was designed as campaign footage to use later) wasn't. I wonder why? Oh yeah because the mission is not accomplished and can be added to the list of half truths and lies we have been force feed to this point.

I pray you are from NY hen. You can vote Bush and it will not matter.

As a Red Sox fan, I would like to disassociate myself from RF's comments. Though he's hardly perfect (who is?), I'll be voting for Bush this year. Oh, and Jay: I don't know about Hen, but I live in Florida. :-p

Don't let the moonbats get you down. :P

I'm voting for Bush for the same reason - I believe he speaks from conviction. I believe Kerry speaks opportunistically. Does anybody yet know if Kerry is for or against the war?

But I disagree on the Red Sox. They're from Mass. I'm only voting Texan this year. Go 'Stros!

Personally, I think he did what any smart person would do in that circumstance. You don't think of some crying teenage came up to Kerry or someone with the same story that he wouldn't take the opportunity to comfort them? Expecially if it meant some good publicity? Bush just showed that he's just like any other level-headed politician: he recognizes a great opportunity to make himself look good. See also: Kerry; fake tan, botox.

And Reisz, I'd like to know what lies you're talking about that were told during the debates. I didn't even know that they had answered any of the questions. Oh, BTW, it's frickin red SOX man, red SOX.

Are the moonbats ever going to acquire some new Bush-is-evil memes to replace these tiresome, aged, refuted-a-million-times ones? I for one plan to ignore the moonbats completely until they come up with some new material.

I mean, come on, people! Get creative, at least! And it's perfectly OK to just make shit up; after all, your party's standard bearer is doing the same thing now.

Or, to get back to the topic at hand (hey, moonbats, give that a shot someday if you want people to pay any attention to you), just say that the picture shown here is photoshopped, or allege that it really shows W in a fit of rage, just before he snaps Ashley's neck with his bare hands (just for fun - everybody knows Republicans love killing people) and has Darth Rove concoct "Ashley's Story" as a brilliant coverup.

I mean, come on, creativity, people!

"Nah, surely there's some Republicans in Boston!"

Yep. Hi. That would be me.

I compare Clinton biting his lip, "feeling our pain," to George Bush. No comparison.

I'm voting for George Bush because he'll kick terrorist a@%. Kerry would just talk them to death, or send Edwards to sue them.

End of story.

Elizabeth
Imperial Keeper

P.S. Just view moonbats as little yapping chihuahua's. That's what I do. It's a highly amusing mental exercise.

I'm with you michele. I to am voing for the uy that will lead us to the least bad outcome for our country. I do disagre with the president on several, Several key issues, but I believe that he will lead us as a secure and sovereign country best for the next 4 years.

Very will written expression of just what I believe. I did the early voting thing yesterday and touched the W part of the screen. I was happy that the Red Soxs brought to game 7. I think the Yankees will prove to be too much of a team to beat tonight. In Texas, this is Astro country but as a kid I remember listening to the Cardinal games on radio and being a Cardinal fan. I wonder how many those of us over 50 will be remembering our past
history and fervor for the Cards.

Yeppers, the BDS's showed up and never addressed anything that Michele was saying.

My #3 daughter, Heather, watched the third debate with me. She is decidedly non-political so this was her first long exposure to both candidates in a head-to-head setting. Her bottom line is that Kerry is phoney. Insincere, pathetic and not willing to take a stand on anything for even the length of the debate.

From the BBC touting terrorism as a myth and Jo_Ke's 9/10 mentality that we "have to get back" to it as a "nuisance," it's little wonder that Arafat, Mahathir Mohamad, and Nabil Sha’ath have endorsed Kerry. From Kerry's vote against expelling Saddam from Kuwait to his admitted "global test" it's little wonder that Michael al-Moore and Jhimmi Carter are stumping and lying for him. While the usual campaigning for Kerry by the MSM castigates and insults GW for being sincere in his beliefs, John Edwards engages in shameless demagoguery that a Kerry election will have people rising from their wheelchairs and casting them aside.

There are major differences between GW and Jo_Ke. Not the least of which this ad points up. GW's basic humanity is clear and present to anyone not infected with BDS. It's been in these small moments ... the glaring difference in character GW who makes it a point to connect to people and Kerry who engages in "do you know who I am?" and "that s.o.b. knocked me down." The difference between a President who paused only long enough to wait for the Secret Service to clear his departure (while not panicking the small children around him) and a Senator who admits he was paralyzed for 40 minutes and later, upon reflection, that 9/11 didn't really change him much.

It's no wonder the desperation of the Left, the blatant and criminal widespread acts against the Bush/Cheney campaign. It's no wonder that this ad had James Lileks predicting:
Oooh, people are going to hate this 527 spot, which yanks the heartstrings like Quasimodo pulling bell-ropes on Easter. I’ll help ‘em out: SO WHAT? HITLER LOVED HIS DOG, and besides HE ORDERED THE EVENT AND CAN’T PRONOUNCE NUCLEAR! Right now George Soros is filming a response ad that has Michael Moore hugging one of his Upper West Side condo neighbors, who tragically lost a parking spot on 9/11.

Had the family not taken a picture, that moment would never have seen the light of day, like his meetings with the families of those killed overseas, he considers those private moments, not for the campaign. All the more reason to vote for him.
The "mission accomplished" banner was produced by the White House at the request of the Navy because they could not make it on board. (I had that group in my Division on a large amphibious ship.) The crew did at least ten months out at sea and fought a war. Their mission was accomplished, and after ten years of fighting Saddam over the no-fly zones, so was all of naval air's.

I remeber reading about this shortly after it happened. Taken together with getting onto the plane in Bangor to shake every soldier's hand and his standing patiently with every single Air Force Academy graduate for pictures, Bush comes across a a real human being.

And frankly, the moonbat memes are getting real old.

I think the brief, unscripted moments are important ones for getting at what a person's really like.

One thought I had watching the debates is that I wouldn't mind seeing the candidates asked a few total softball questions, but totally unexpected ones. Just to see them talk spontaneously about something non-political that's important to them.

E.g.,
"Mr. President, what can you tell us about Barney. Is he a good dog?"

or
"Senator Kerry, tell us about windsurfing. Looks like fun, how'd you get into that?"

Unrealistic, of course, but I'd still like to see something like that. And to the extent we do see things like that, they tend to come in expected settings, and thus be scripted, vetted for political implications, etc. (i.e., if these questions were asked by Terrier World or Windsurfing Magazine, they wouldn't exactly be out of left field.)

"...surely there's some Republicans in Boston..."

You'd be surprised how many expat/exile Massachusetts Republicans like myself I've met, mostly out of the state. But let's see: Mitt Romney comes to mind. You were aware that the People's Republic of Taxachusetts, of all places, has had GOP governors for the past 14 years, right? (Not that it's probably made all that much difference when the Dems have had a veto-proof majority in the legislature almost all that time.)

So basically, it is revealed that Bush does have a heart... and those who oppose him on this thread can only seethe. I suppose they think spewing what they have helps their cause, but it only shows how shallow and spiteful they can be.

David C: How about "If a train leaves New York at 60 mph and another train leaves Chicago at 55mph, what time will they pass each other?"

(My prediction: a truly bi-partisan reaction of WTF?!) ;-)

The entire rationale for attacking Kerry over this most recent ad is the idea that Bush has such a monopoly over humanity in this election that only he, and not Kerry, would comfort a teenage girl when confronted with her tragic story of loss.

The entire rationale for supporting Bush over this ad is to ignore stories like this:
www.alternet.org/columnists/story/20222/

I'm not saying that Bush's hug was entirely scripted. There's no reason to doubt its spontaneality.

But when acting as the president, and not simply a human being, he has been consistently following a policy of denying the will of the orphans and widows that this ad claims he supports.

When you realize that Kerry probably would've comforted the girl as well, the hug means little. When viewing Bush's dishonesty in the face of 9/11 families, it means almost nothing.

---Knowlingly voting for a proven failure.

Your head and heart need to be given a shake.---

That goes both ways, Vince.
20 years of nothing except 2 ATMs.

And frankly, the moonbat memes are getting real old.

Well, the moonbats are old, we've been listening to this since the 60s.

In answer to patrick's quesion, I present the following.

The politicians answer:
"You know, I love Chicago. It's a great city with a great heart. For instance, when I was in Chicago three weeks ago I met a voter who blah blah..."

The mathematicians answer:
There is no direction or velocity given. A vector cannot be calculated, therefore an intercept is unknown.

My answer:
Yes. If I was a hotdog I would indeed eat myself.

hey everyone!

check out what Nelson has to say!

http://www.europundits.blogspot.com/

So, M., with what will Maria Schriver be voting, hm?

I too really love that photo -- but I'm starting to have second thoughts.

If the man can't work out how to get things working well enough to get flu vaccines to us, how is going to protect us against bioterrorism? What kind of health care program is he running?

What about pat robertson's comments yesterday: "I warned him about this war. I had deep misgivings about this war, deep misgivings. And I was trying to say, 'Mr. President, you had better prepare the American people for casualties'."

Robertson said the president then told him, "Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties."

Taking emotion out of it for a moment -- this guy really seems to be just incompetant, or he has chosen to surround himself with incompetants. I don't know which is worse!

He sends them to their deaths without the slightest inkling that he's doing it and has proven that he has no idea how to keep the health system running!

Whatever your feelings are about the man personally, I think it's time to give the other guy a shot at it.

I am worried that Bush is surrounded by a gang of yesmen who are too afraid of his displeasure to tell him anything he doesn't want to hear.

That's right, I'm voting for Kerry because Bush is surrounded by cowards. Of course I have many other reasons, but that's the big one. I don't think Bush is a delusional idiot, but he's allowed to play one in the White House.

ROFLMAO

The whole of the Drug Industry is pilloried and portrayed as modern-era Robber Barons and trial lawyers and legislatures salivate over "deep pockets" ... and the majority of these Drug Companies then look at the vaccine market and say "No, thank you" and suddenly GW is at fault because the vaccine is manufactured by two companies alone?

Well, again, more proof that the Left has a complete disconnect between what they aggitate for, and the consequences of that aggitation in the real world.

Life is not all fluffy kitties, pink clouds and unlimited miracle drugs when you make it impossible to make said drugs by destroying or chasing out the people who would make them.

I can respect a vote for Kerry IF you actually know and support the values that Kerry is running on... IE that national security is really not as important as GW supporters think it is, that terrorism really isn't connected to any one ideology so as long as its happening at a rather low-level or "over there" it is acceptable, that the UN should be the ultimate authority in the world, that America should not be or try to be a force of morality in the world, that American culture should completely shed its religious foundations and all move to complete secularization including the removal of all religious references in the public square, that our culture should move even further from a individualistic one in which capitalism dominates into a "groupism" one in which soc*alism and national control of industry dominates ... Well then your vote for Kerry will be consistent with his values and those of the people who surround him and support him.

Kerry has no clue on foreign policy. None. Oh, he'd call a summit, there'd be fine food and wonderful wines with the snowiest linen on the table and elegant china and silverware, and those gathered would be impressed...but..that's it. That's the extent of Kerry's global policy.

It's very simple. Either America will lead the world, or the world's thugs will.

If your vote is consistent with the reality of Kerry, his record and his actions, then at least I can respect that. But if you are projecting unto Kerry things only you see in him unsupported by anything but your wishes...if his non-positions makes him a man for all positions, then I'd ask at least your reconsideration. Not that it matters to you, but I don't respect a vote that arises in such a way.

"I'm voting for Kerry because Bush is surrounded by cowards"...I don't get this one at all. Do you really think Condi Rice is a coward? Dick Cheney? Love him or hate him, what does he have to be afraid of at this point in his career?

On the contrary: I think Bush has had the courage to surround himself with "A" players, without fearing that he will be eclipsed.

"What I see is a man with integrity. I see a man who believes in every word he says, who truly believes that he is doing what is right for this country and the world"

O brother..what I see is a broad who'll buy anything..it's a frickin' tv commercial!

Earl, I've decided that I hate you. You have been banned - again- and I will ban any other IP you show up under. You're a freaking doody head.

They're afraid Bush will cut them off. They're afraid that they won't be part of the gravy train of books and speaking tours and cushy pundit jobs. They're afraid of appearing disloyal to a man that desperately needs a bit of reality.

I do think Condi Rice, Rumsfeld, et al. are cowards if they don't try to add a little reality to Cabinet meetings. After all, are they there to run the country or help win reelection? If the second one gets in the way (as I think it has--not that past administrations are innocent of this) of giving the President good advice, then I'm not a happy voter. Yes we live in a democracy, but when there's a war on I think the President needs to have more than rosy scenarios in front of him. I blame him for his Cabinet and blame his Cabinet for him, but getting rid of one gets rid of the other.

Kerry has no clue on foreign policy.

Now, go read Kerry would fight terrorism better.

Most people who have posted to or read a lot of the command-post.org will probably see that Kerry has some good ideas that would probably be more effective than what we've been getting.

I'm sure Bush has a heart. And, I'm more or less sure he's doing what he thinks is best. That doesn't mean that he's right.

In current events, I note that the White House has sent a letter to the House members who are working on the 9/11 Bill. The WH wants the House to remove the provisions in that bill that might prevent future terrorists from getting driver's licenses. For those who didn't know, fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers had a combined total of 63 separate drivers licenses. So, while Bush might mean well, there seem to be a few problems when it comes down to things like details and preventing future terrorists from infiltrating the U.S.

Sorry, Michele, you must have known you were duct taping a lightning rod to your hat, but still it's too bad the asswipe lefty dipshit terror appeasers (no offense, chickenshits, I mean those words in their kindest, most complimentary manner) have to jump in with their bile.

This shit has gone way beyond reasonable, the left has been lying and slandering their opponents for so long they think they're bulletproof. When they get caught red handed peddling forgeries and hoxes, their response is basically "just because we're lying is no reason not to believe us."

I wonder what they will do after the election, win or lose. Are they really prepared to live peacefully with their fellow citizens, with whom they disagree so they are ispo facto evil baby killing corporate fascists? Am I supposed to simply shrug and say to myself, "Ah, they're overwrought and don't really mean it?"

Sorry, I think they do really mean it. They have gone beyond debate and argument and discussion through the dark side of something... vicious, vile, and anti-Democratic. I do not look forward to the coming years, and hope we all can survive the continuing assault on common decency and courtesy from the left.

My suggestion? Upgrade to MT 3.12, turn on comment registration through Typekey (or change the blog to some other software that has comment reg capabilities), and watch the troll brigade fade away. The hell with "the free flow of dialogue." Having to read the same "Bush lied children died Halliburton Enron OIL OIL OILLLL!!!" bs over and over and over again is making unregulated comment threads on blogs painful to read.

Oh never mind me, I'm just frustrated. I'll crawl back in my cave now.

Steve Skubinna:

...it's too bad the asswipe lefty dipshit terror appeasers (no offense, chickenshits...

...and hope we all can survive the continuing assault on common decency and courtesy from the left.

Point taken, Steve. We just can't seem to be decent and courteous they way you conservatives are. But we're trying.

Reisz, don't even try to be reasonable now. I've fucking had it beyiond endurance with the endless smears, lies, and slander from your side. If you really are a decent person, you have my sympathy.

But I doubt that you are a decent person, because decent people don't do what your side has been doing the past several years.

I was trying to be somewhat reasonable but I was being sarcastic. I just thought it was ironic that you could talk about courtesy after your earlier statement that I quoted.

But you're right-- we're past being reasonable. I used to wonder why people hated Bill and Hillary Clinton so much. I mean, I could understand disagreeing with them, but I was baffled by the hatred. But now I understand. That's how I feel about Bush-- I feel nothing but pure revulsion for him.

Remember how he mocked Karla Faye Tucker when she asked for clemency before she was executed? He was whining in mock exaggeration in an interview that Tucker begged, "Please don't kill me." Yet he always talks loudly about Jesus. There is not one thing honest or compassionate or good about him-- he's a perfectly awful man.

They're afraid Bush will cut them off. They're afraid that they won't be part of the gravy train of books and speaking tours and cushy pundit jobs.

That hasn't seemed to stop people who used to work for the Bush administration.

Did Richard Clarke somehow miss out on books and other fun things while claiming the Cassandra curse?

I am really sick of you people whining about Karla Faye Tucker. Where's your "compassion" for the two people she brutally murdered with an ice pick? You know, the ones she stabbed and stabbed and said that she had an orgasm each time she stabbed them.

I'm sure her victims begged for mercy, too. She's dead and deserved no compassion. Deal with it.

Lonewhacko

Kerry has some good ideas

For about 5 minutes. Did you see anything in my post dealing with "ideas?" Not a thing in Kerry's record shows he has progressed one iota from the 27 y/o who gamed three purple hearts then sat in front of the Senate and called his peers "the heirs of Jengis Khan."

20 yrs in the Senate, 5 bills passed. Not a weapons system proposed that he couldn't vote against. He stands in front of the American people, in one of the few geniune emotional moments from Mr. Empty-suit and finds moral equivalency between the US pursuing advanced weaponry (bunker busters) and terrorist thugs .. then announcing he'll STOP the program.

Hey... think of a Mayor of a town that denounces the police department for pursuing the most advanced weaponry for their street cops by saying "We can't ask the criminals to disarm when we aren't willing to do it ourselves."

If you think Republicans are just too focused on national security, if you believe, like Kerry, a certain level of terrorism is acceptable..then sure, vote for him.

But you might want to move away from the coasts, too.

Yeah, Karla Faye Tucker is scum and I wouldn't vote for her either. But my point is that Bush is a fake Christian and he's not decent or mature enough to be the President of the United States.

Reisz

What is it about a cold blooded murderer like Tucker that makes some people all warm and fuzzy?

Good Godfrey, in CA we have to contend with the idiotarians trying to gut our 3 strikes law with sob-sister stories and lies about the law and HUGE lies about what Proposition 66 is. I'm tired of the scum who have willingly given up their right to live with the rest of humanity becoming pop-icons for people who's own life has probably never been touched by crime. The one thing I always notice about these "Free Mumia" "Free Kevin Cooper" et al "activists" is their abject disinterest in the victims of these perps.

"Fake Christian"?

Channelling the Gore-unhinged, Reisz?

Hey, Reisz,

I have some poor schlubs who were "unfairly" convicted under CA's 3 Strikes law that will be released either immediately or within weeks of the passage of Prop 66...

Can they come live near you?

Wow! A grand slam! Go Redsox!

Whoa, Darleen, those guys don't look like good neighbors. Buy you're making it sound like I want to let criminals out of prison, but I was only pointing out that Bush is an evil, dishonest person, and yes, a fake Christian.

I'm against capital punishment but I respect people who don't agree with me about that. But I can't respect a man who talks loudly and incessantly about Jesus and then mocks someone like a junior high kid when she's asking for mercy. Can you?

Reisz

Please point to the "incessant talk of Jesus" quotes from GW, eh?

BDS is very wearying for those of us on the outside...we try to be patient while factchecking ...

BTW, I don't know GW "mocked" Tucker. But doing his duty as Governor and not being swayed by a convenient prison-house "conversion" speaks to his morality, not against it.

Darleen: BTW, I don't know GW "mocked" Tucker.

http://tinyurl.com/6f4j6

Oh, a commentary of what GW allegedly said after view a Larry King show, as reported by Tucker Carlson (legally known as heresay).

Wow. I'm underwhelmed.

Whaddya mean? Tucker Carlson's a conservative. You can tell by the silly bow tie.

Darleen: I wasn't responding to your post. Your comment to me contains too many smears, distortions, and instances of childish name-calling to respond to. I certainly understand the tactic. However, I find it sad that that's all most Bush supporters can come up with.

Here are a few uncomfortable facts for said supporters: The White House is increasing pressure on Congress to strike from the final intelligence-reform legislation certain immigration-related provisions that House Republicans had tagged onto their version of the bill.

Bear in mind, that's from the Washington Times, hardly a liberal source.

Also, bear in mind that 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers had no less than 63 driver's licenses between them.

Those licenses allowed the 9/11 hijackers to live here, rent cars, get on planes, and do all the other things they did.

Given that fact, you might think a president who wants to keep you safe would seek to prevent other terrorists from getting driver's licenses, which is what the provisions the administration wants to remove from the House bill would do.

Apparently, they've made the decision that that's less important than something else. Getting the "Hispanic vote?" Pleasing the cheap-labor lobby? I have no idea the specific reason, I just know it's quite inconsistent with the actions of a "homeland security" president.

if something terrible is going to happen again, I have very little faith our government, no matter who is president, can protect us. To excuse the "errors" of intelligence re:9/11, the "errors" of NORAD,etc, is to be naive. If we are going to die, no one can protect us, not even Bush. All we can do is retaliate, which Bush is good at.

I won't vote for Bush because he is a christian fundamentalist, and comes from a very corrupt and greedy family. All the way to Prescott, they have been stealing and killing for their own gain.

I won't vote for Bush, not because HE is evil, but because he and his ENTIRE FAMILY is evil. Every last one of them.

but because he and his ENTIRE FAMILY is evil. Every last one of them.

I heard Barbara and Jenna are appearing in Ohio today. Be sure to bring your pitchfork and torch.

Gotta stop those evil Xtians.

I've waited a bit to think about this one. I personally think George W. Bush is an undistinguised, average man, with some very wrong views, who lived for far too long in the shadow of a distinctly unaverge high-achieving family and suffered great emotional damage thereby.

His major strength consists of an exceptionally stubborn will. Much of his activity as President seems to me consistent with this understanding.

I also have voted early, since I poll judge in a presinct where I do not live and I voted against the President. I did so because of the wrong ideas, and of his consistent refusal to test decisions against results, which is the major drawback of operating out of strong will alone.

I voted for a man who, like any challenger to this office, is untested. I have some suspicions about both the strengths and weaknesses of his character, but they can never be as sure as those about an incumbent who has translated character into decisions.

I also note that, unlike my more partisan friends here, I think the challenger has both strenghts and weaknesses, like any ordinary person, as does the incumbent, and I really want to understand both.

Vote in freedom, for whatever reason you choose, since the essence of freedom lies in the fact that no one's reasons control your vote, except your own.

I'll be there on election day on the other side of the table, checking signatures, handing out voting slips, and resetting the machines.

We look forward to seeing you whatever your reasons and your vote and we confidently and cheerfully expect to work harder at our job of protecting your freedom than we have in quite a long while.

Hey Riesz...

"...my point is that Bush is a fake Christian..."

If you're not a Christian, it's hard to see where you have the grounds or basis for understanding to make such a judgement...

And if you are a Christian, you're instructed not to judge...

Which would it be?...

so... it's time the talk walked and the hat came off to see if the cattle are really there. Talk is cheap and whining... well.. let Rush teach you how to do that (although I 'spoze it would help if you were actively addicted at the time).

So...
When are you volunteering? I did. Actually lived to tell about it. Shot poeple who we couldn't tell if they were foe or friendly. Charlies.

2 or 4 years of real service would do you good. After all not a few mil services around the world have females in noncombat and combat roles. Feeling as brave as your words?

Funny this in a way (although paint me recalcitrantly motley) ... people who lead lives on their ar$e$ like all the whiners here whining over "liberal" injustices are usually fat, in fact hiding their faces, unattractive, excuses for sharing the moniker human beings with the people who have to unroll their deception time and again...

... and who never served a day outside CONUS... except perhaps saving the N borders of Texas from Vietnamese fighter jets as W wannabe did.

When are you volunteering? I did. Actually lived to tell about it. Shot poeple who we couldn't tell if they were foe or friendly. Charlies.

Funny, I've heard this kind of rant before.

Micah Wright, is that you?

I am sick and tired of liberals pointing to the "mission accomplished" thing with the carrier landing. You can divide the Iraq War in 2 phases, the invasion and the peace keeping. Do you liberals seriously doubt that the invasion part of the war was not over when he landed on that carrier? No one said it was clear sailing after the invasion. I remember hundreds of pundits saying the the peace keeping will be the hardest part and indeed, this is proven to be true. In fact, if you guys go back and read his carrier speech, Bush insisted there will be hard work and difficulties ahead and the war WAS NOT OVER.

Lessee here. A dead woman and a grieving child. Go to the link to support getting Ashley's story out and you're invited to give money to re-elect the W.

republican class is no class.

W said that the U.S. has prevailed in Iraq. Do you agree with that?

Wrapper: Yes, actually. We are prevailing. Despite the efforts of various insurgents in Iraq... and people like you who are eager to claim and/or seek failure... while supporting the troops, of course.

Lonewacko,

Who do you think taught Osama that Americans would cut and run if they took enough casualties?

John Kerry has the honor of being one of his top instructors on that subject.

From the farrago of lies that you cite:

"John Kerry would have been funding openly, and supporting any way he could, democratic movements in these countries."

ROTFL! The man who groveled before Ortega, the Living Taco Shell, only to be revealed as a vomit-brained idiot the very day after his return home when Danny flew to Moscow and pledged his allegience to the Soviets?

The man who committed necrophilia on the legacy of Ronald Reagan during the debates while being Ronnie's chief Senate enemy in the 80's?

THAT Kerry?

The one who has been deliberately wrong on every major foreign policy issue of the last 30 years?

The man who is justly hated by vast majorities of veterans and current service personnel?

The man who hates American power and has wanted it submitted to the heel of the U.N. for the past 33 years, a man who was raised at the knee of a Europhile who despised the U.S.'s bringing of freedom to the oppressed of the world?

Yeah, he'll do just fine, he'll another Jimmy Carter in fact!

That's just what we need now.

Bush insisted there will be hard work and difficulties ahead and the war WAS NOT OVER.

Meanwhile, there was a MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner behind him. It's kinda like that thing on SNL where Nealon (?) would interject whispered subconscious phrases, except in reverse:

"There is much work... [MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner]... to be done... Our future work will be [MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner]... difficult... It will be... [MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner]... hard work...."

Wow, you moonbats never fail to lift my spirits. "No, no, can't you SEEEEEE?????? It doesn't matter what Bushitler SAYS, it's the SUBLIMINALS!!!!! The Rethuglican Orbital Mind Control Lasers are out there, and you're all BLIND to it!!! PLASTIC TURKEY!!!!!"

Thank you, Lonewacko, for letting us laugh at life and love again!

"When I listen to George Bush speak, I hear honesty. I hear a man who believes his own words."

I'm sorry, when I hear Bush speak I hear someone who sounds like Steve "The Stifmeister" Stifler from American Pie.

PRESIDENT STIFLER: (gazing into her eyes) You're really beautiful.
UNDECIDED VOTER: Really?
PRESIDENT STIFLER: Uh huh.
UNDECIDED VOTER: I don't know if I want to be doing this.
PRESIDENT STIFLER: (sighs, annoyed) Doing what?
UNDECIDED VOTER: You know. If we hook up, tomorrow I'll just be some girl you go telling all your friends about.
PRESIDENT STIFLER: (shifty) No way.
UNDECIDED VOTER: (a little angry)George! You could at least look at me when you say that.
PRESIDENT STIFLER: Look... (searching, remembers)...Voter. I wouldn't go telling stories or whatever about you. I promise.

Lonewacko: Uh-huh. So basically you didn't pay attention to the speech and presumed something so you could complain later when your presumption didn't magically manifest itself?

Did it occur to you that the banner was for the carrier? It had this mission to provide air support for operations in Iraq. Considering the ship was near California at the time the speech was given, I'd say that mission was accomplished. (Cue the "oh so you're blaming the CREW" distraction attempt, or the "but the White House provided the banner" 'proof' of Intent to Deceive the Public™ or whatever.)