Post by RS Davis on Apr 21, 2004 14:19:58 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Nick Gillespie Wrote:[/glow] What is it that Buzz Lightyear says to Sheriff Woody in the first Toy Story movie? "You are a sad, strange, little man. You have my pity." Has Kerry been so blinded by standing in the bloated, distended shadow of Sen. Edward Kennedy for his entire career that he has no idea how to act now that the spotlight is on him. Does he have any idea how positively Al Gore-esque—such a half-boast sounds? He won't talk about his "private conversations" with foreign leaders—at least not in any way that might make them verifiable. That's precisely what we need in a chief executive, especially one to replace George W. Bush, who has been accused of fetishizing secrecy in the Oval Office.
Of course, one stupid gaffe, however mindlessly repeated, is hardly enough to sink a campaign. But when you combine it with Kerry's unmemorable policy proposals (e.g., he wants to increase troops in Iraq but put them under UN command; he's against gay marriage, but for something like civil unions; he's for some tax cuts, but not "irresponsible" ones; etc.), even his most ardent supporters—if he has any—must be getting weak in the knees.
But perhaps the secret strength of Candidate Kerry is the weakness of his opponent. In his most memorable recent TV appearance—last week's press conference—George Bush reminded us that there's something really off about him, too. If Kerry's insistence on secret backing from foreign leaders is weird, there is something truly disturbing about a president who is self-evidently scared of testifying alone before the independent commission investigating the 9/11 attacks. Indeed, between the situation in Iraq and economic issues—not to mention the alienating of small-government conservatives and libertarians—Bush is doing his best to keep the race extremely competitive. Whether we'll see another plurality president in the fall is unclear, but no one will be surprised if the winner yet again fails to crack the 50 percent mark in the popular vote.
Of course, one stupid gaffe, however mindlessly repeated, is hardly enough to sink a campaign. But when you combine it with Kerry's unmemorable policy proposals (e.g., he wants to increase troops in Iraq but put them under UN command; he's against gay marriage, but for something like civil unions; he's for some tax cuts, but not "irresponsible" ones; etc.), even his most ardent supporters—if he has any—must be getting weak in the knees.
But perhaps the secret strength of Candidate Kerry is the weakness of his opponent. In his most memorable recent TV appearance—last week's press conference—George Bush reminded us that there's something really off about him, too. If Kerry's insistence on secret backing from foreign leaders is weird, there is something truly disturbing about a president who is self-evidently scared of testifying alone before the independent commission investigating the 9/11 attacks. Indeed, between the situation in Iraq and economic issues—not to mention the alienating of small-government conservatives and libertarians—Bush is doing his best to keep the race extremely competitive. Whether we'll see another plurality president in the fall is unclear, but no one will be surprised if the winner yet again fails to crack the 50 percent mark in the popular vote.
