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Unfortunately, no matter what they say in polls, there is always one main defining issue for the U.S. electorate, and that is the Wimp Factor. Granted, it's all about perception, but look back at Truman over the silk-stocking elitist Dewey, Eisenhower over the debonair intellectual Stevenson, Kennedy over the smarmy Nixon, Texas country boy Johnson over the owly Goldwater.
Only the Vietnam War enabled a weak Nixon to beat Johnson.
Then Nixon assumed the macho posture over the anti-war McGovern. Carter beat Ford in a toss-up, and then tough-talking Reagan clobbered a perceived-as-weak Carter, ditto Mondale.
We all know the tank photo sunk Dukakis, made him look unmacho, and then we come to our boy Big Willie who easily outmachoed Bush the Elder and Bob Dole.
Bush the Younger (despite the fact he actually lost the election)mput all his efforts into painting Gore as the effete eco-freak, and now we come to 2004.
The Wimp Factor will once again decide this election, which is why the Right is going after Kerry's rich wife, his 'Frenchness', etc. But first they have the big obstacle of his war record, which is why they are so desperate to discount it, to discredit it.
Make no mistake, Kerry's war record, as remote as it may seem to some of us, will decide the Wimp Factor and who wins this election, which is why Kerry must be aggressive, must pound Bush as the deserter, and in general be the Alpha Male.
I wish it were otherwise, but this is the reality. If history is any guide, the 'tough' guy (as perceived by the voters) will win.
Michael Moore--God bless him--had it right by making Bush look like a fool and a coward. Most Americans can tolerate the idiot, but can't abide the weak. Moore exploited this, and it is the tack Kerry should take, and must take, in order to win.
(Forgive the length, but I'm pissed.)
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