The "hardlining" of the campaigns

[BayouBengal07]

It seems to me that, in light of recent events, the candidates are tryng to outdo each other in an effort to present to the voting public an image of one being more tough and macho than the other.

I don't mean going out and wrestling bulls or jumping out of planes, but you can see it in their speeches.

At the Democratic convention, the words "tough", "strong" and "brave" appeared over and over, sprinkled like confetti in people's speeches describing John Kerry.

Bush has cast himself as a "strong leader", one who "doesn't take crap from nobody", including the international community and the UN. To his supporters, it's all about "principles" and "strong leadership in difficult times."

Kerry has been cast as a weak liar who did not live up to his "so-called record" in Vietnam, as if because he was there but might not have single-handedly won the war is not good enough for America.

And just today, we see Kerry defending his vote on the Iraq War resolution, perhaps (in my opinion) as a way to keep moderates in his camp and avoid yet another "flip-flopper" charge.

I know this is nothing new in politics, but do you think it will get any worse as we near Nov. 2?

Has Bush backed Kerry into a corner, who now must alienate his base and abandon his principles so he can look "decisive" to the American public?

Do the American people really want creeping nationalism and hardline, dirty politics to define their leaders?

[montanacowboy]

1. No, most of us do not

however, we seem to be at the mercy every friggin election of the DLC and their Bush Lite bullshit, Centrist, go for the middle of the road, don't alienate the swing voters - personally I have really just had it.

This Iraq War Vote was a trap waiting for Kerry to fall into. How much more we would all rally round him if he was just truthful and say, hell no, I would not have voted for that war knowing what we know now....instead, what does he say? Oh..yes, I would have...just like GWB - so here we go again....

If he is elected this war becomes HIS albatross and he will be Nixon all over again.

This democratic party never ceases to amaze me - no backbone

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Remember Clinton's line?

Strength and Wisdom are not mutually exclusive values? That's one of the reasons why I initially backed Wesley Clark. He had absolutely no need to posture, and therefor was always able to forcefully argue the case for diplomacy and restraint, without any fear of being seen as weak or Un-American. Hopefully once John Kerry has the full trappings of the Oval Office behind him, and the Chicken Hawks are vanquished, he will be freed from the need to constantly project strength to the electorate. No one postures more than George W. Bush, and hopefully this election will repudiate that brand of jingo patriotism. John Kerry is a strong man, but the public seems to demand constant reassurance.

On a related note, please consider joining me in promoting Wesley Clark's continued influence in the Democratic Party by supporting his PAC: www.wespac2004.com