You Aren't Having a Beer With Him!

[Akno21]

After the debates, many groups of undecided voters reported that many said something along these lines "Kerry seemed more in command of the facts, he knew more, Bush didn't seem to know what he was talking about, but Kerry just didn't connect with me. I'm still undecided"
The President of the United States is supposed to protect and help you, he is not supposed to be your friend that you go to the bar with or have important conversations with. Kerry may be aloof, smug, and uncharismatic, but he knows what he is doing. It saddens me how such a large percentage of the populace vote for the candidate who is a better speaker or more engaging. Shouldn't you vote for the person best equipped and smart enough to handle threats, even if he's not "friendly". Granted, there are many Americans who think President Bush is smarter on the subject, and I respect that, but for the undecideds, if in their mind they are choosing between a smart but aloof man and an engaging but overly-simplistic one, it shocks me how they are still undecided.

[J. J.]

After the debates, many groups of undecided voters reported that many said something along these lines "Kerry seemed more in command of the facts, he knew more, Bush didn't seem to know what he was talking about, but Kerry just didn't connect with me. I'm still undecided"
The President of the United States is supposed to protect and help you, he is not supposed to be your friend that you go to the bar with or have important conversations with. Kerry may be aloof, smug, and uncharismatic, but he knows what he is doing. It saddens me how such a large percentage of the populace vote for the candidate who is a better speaker or more engaging. Shouldn't you vote for the person best equipped and smart enough to handle threats, even if he's not "friendly". Granted, there are many Americans who think President Bush is smarter on the subject, and I respect that, but for the undecideds, if in their mind they are choosing between a smart but aloof man and an engaging but overly-simplistic one, it shocks me how they are still undecided.

Being able to win at Trivial Pursuit is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

[Mikem]

Being able to win at Trivial Pursuit is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

Agreed, memorizing facts wins you debates, not wars.  All issues aside, I feel that Bush has principles that he believes in, and that I can count on him to follow his vision (most of which I sympathize with).  I cannot even come close to saying that for Kerry.  That alone gives Bush my vote.

[John Dibble]

You're right that people aren't having a beer with him, but that aside, charisma is one of the many things people want in a leader. It's not a necessity, and not at the top of my list, but it is a good thing for a leader to have - when dealing with foreign nations it is best if the leader is likeable, because the reaction to the leader will be more positive.

How can one expect to lead a free people if they won't freely follow him? The majority of people need someone they feel they can get behind - and they don't want to get behind a robot, it takes more than knowledge and facts to lead people.

That being said I don't think Bush is brimming with charisma, Clinton had a lot more, but he has more than Kerry - at least with the U.S. population. Badnarik has good charisma in my opinion, but since few people ever hear him speak it doesn't do him much good.

[Silent Hunter]

I wouldn't mind having a beer with either, or both of them.

Just because you're an ex-alcoholic doesn't mean you can't have beer. You just have non-alcoholic beer. That's what Bush had when he had lunch with Blair in Sedgefield.

[CollectiveInterest]

Being able to win at Trivial Pursuit is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

What is the Bush vision?

[J. J.]

Being able to win at Trivial Pursuit is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

What is the Bush vision?

Spreading democracy to areas where totalitarian regimes existed.

Aggressive interdiction of terrorists abroad, not a "Fortress America" strategy for dealing with it.

Better education (funding up by 49%).

Lower taxes on the job creating elements of our economy.

All volunteer armed forces.

That's not all inclusive.

Ah, you did ask.  :-)

[Akno21]

Being able to win at <a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=trivial%20pursuit" onmouseover="window.status='Trivial Pursuit'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">Trivial Pursuit</a> is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

What is the Bush vision?

Spreading democracy to areas where totalitarian regimes existed.

Aggressive interdiction of terrorists abroad, not a "Fortress America" strategy for dealing with it.

Better education (funding up by 49%).

Lower taxes on the job creating elements of our economy.

All volunteer armed forces.

That's not all inclusive.

Ah, you did ask.  :-)

1. Yeah, why don't you move out to great hosts of freedom and democracy, Iraq and Afghanistan.

2. More people want to kill Americans in 2004 then in 2001.

3. Spend more time putting info into kids brains, and less time taking it out. And he should stop hurting public schools. His policy of punishing bad schools is so backward its scary.

4. Getting a $500 tax cut doesn't add up when you include health care costs, college tuition costs, and other costs skyrocketing.

5. Charlie Rangel is not Kerry's VP. 

[J. J.]

Being able to win at <a href="http://www.srch-results.com/lm/rtl.asp?k=trivial%20pursuit" onmouseover="window.status='Trivial Pursuit'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">Trivial Pursuit</a> is not necessarily a qualification for leadership.

I want a leader with a vision and a vision I can get behind.  Kerry lacks both.

What is the Bush vision?

Spreading democracy to areas where totalitarian regimes existed.

Aggressive interdiction of terrorists abroad, not a "Fortress America" strategy for dealing with it.

Better education (funding up by 49%).

Lower taxes on the job creating elements of our economy.

All volunteer armed forces.

That's not all inclusive.

Ah, you did ask.  :-)

1. Yeah, why don't you move out to great hosts of freedom and democracy, Iraq and Afghanistan.

2. More people want to kill Americans in 2004 then in 2001.

3. Spend more time putting info into kids brains, and less time taking it out. And he should stop hurting public schools. His policy of punishing bad schools is so backward its scary.

4. Getting a $500 tax cut doesn't add up when you include health care costs, college tuition costs, and other costs skyrocketing.

5. Charlie Rangel is not Kerry's VP. 

1.  This is a twist on the "loony left."  Their slogan can be "America, Hate it or Leave It."  :-)  It is ultimately better, as two Democratic presidents that said, "To make the world safe for democracy."  In this case it is our democracy.

2.  More people suceeded in killing Americans in 2001 than 2004.  I'd like to keep it that was through 2009.

3.  Public school failure is much more scary.

4.  Having a better job does.  By increasing capital to those segments of the economy that create jobs, it helps the guy getting a $500 tax reduction get a better job.

5.  Kerry supportor Charles Rangel proposed a draft.  Kerry, himself has said two things, and not explained them.

A.  That he will increase the size of the regular army.

B.  That he will use the National Guard/Reserves for homeland security. 

Neither Kerry, nor his supporters here, has explained what the new troops will be used for or how these troops will be deployed in the US.  This might end up being the true "back door draft!"  We don't know because nobody has been able to explain it.

I have ask those Kerry supporters here to explain it, just as a policy proposal.  They don't know.