THE UNDECIDED

[chiburb]

The Los Angeles Times poll said one-third of the voters surveyed said they did not know enough about Kerry to decide whether he would be a better president than Bush.
—The St. Petersburg Times.


“What do you stand for? Who the hell are you? And what are you passionate about, other than holding office?” asks Frances Montrosso, 58, a house cleaner from Syracuse, N.Y.
—The Los Angeles Times.


I know, I know, I know. At the last focus group, I said that I’d make up my mind by the next focus group. But how can anyone choose, given how little we know, even today, about John Kerry? Sure, I’ve read all his speeches and I’ve done an online background check, looking into his possible unclaimed property, deadbeat parents, and outstanding fines owed to the Department of Motor Vehicles. But is this enough? As a voter committed to making a responsible decision, I want to know the real John Kerry.

—We know, for instance, that John Kerry went to Yale, but did he ever meet my friend Penny, who also went there?

—Has John Kerry taken a position on whether he would rather freeze to death or burn to death?

More here:
http://www.newyorker.com/shouts/content/?040920sh_shouts

[faithnotgreed]

1. again, a wonderful nonpartisan website is www.ontheissues.org

it lays out the issues and where each candidate stands.

its really good and should be among the first sites you recommend to the truly undecided. depending on how someone is leaning you can give them johnkerry.com
but ontheissues site is less busy and deals specifically with the nonpartisan job of laying out each candidates position

highly recommend (if that isnt obvious!)

[chiburb]

2. Ok, but can that site answer these?

—It’s safe to say that everyone is curious about how pants end up on the side of the highway. What light can John Kerry shed on this?

—Do you think John Kerry needs any capers? Because I bought too many, and something tells me they’re too foreign for Bush.

—O.K., forget policy. When it comes to John Kerry, we have no information about even the basics. For example, what’s his lucky number?

(From the same satire in New Yorker that was linked to in the OP)

But thanks anyway!

:-)