Judgment -- the key to a Kerry victory.

[rogerashton]

Most of us here understand that Bush* is NOT committed to American security but only to lining the pockets of his billionaire cronies. But many "undecided" voters are not ready to accept that.

Even if he is ever-so-committed to American security, though, his lack of judgment makes him a danger to the security of Americans.

He has admitted that he "miscualculated" the disorder in Iraq, regarding the expert warnings he got as "estimates" if not "guesswork," when in fact they proved to be truths. This is a large-scale failure of judgment that has cost many lives, including those of Americans and Iraqis and others.

Other "miscalculations" abound. In early 2000, as I recall, a Cheyney-led committee concluded that the threat of terrorism to the American homeland was not acute, and Bush seems to have accepted that, just months before 9-11. Too few troops in Afghanistan, where we still have not secured a lasting victory. Withdrawing the naval forces off Korea to commit them to Iraq -- an uncounted cost of that invasion and another error of judgment.

How can the shrub defend against this? Exactly what we have seen: try to imply that Kerry is not a patriot, not committed to the security of Americans. That's untrue, offensive, dirty politics, not the sort of thing that nice people do. (And "undecideds" do seem to still have the illusion that the Shrub is nice -- likeable!)

Any Kerry campaign folks reading this? Please see if you can get this message out.

[napi21]

1. Judgement, or ability?

I think it's possible that shrub does care about America's security, but is simply incompetent in his ability to make the right decisions to do so.

I could be promoted to a management position because I made friends with the right people, but that does not make me capable of doing the job.

I think this is one reason people believe he is sincere when he speaks on the stump. He IS sincere, just capable of doing the job! The people surrounding shrub have an agenda, and they have convinced him they are right!

[rogerashton]

3. Ability -- laziness -- cupidity --

net result is the same. He is a danger to American security on account of his consistent patterns of misjudgment.

[cthrumatrix]

2. I agree...i will post on why the elections are a "dreams" or

worse...a civil war to come

[rogerashton]

4. There will be no civil war.

The left haven't got any assault rifles. There could be a bloodbath, to be sure.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. The truth is Bush has FAILED post-9/11 America --

I think that is what Kerry was saying in his speech today. Bush's performance post 9/11 is the reason many people are voting for him, and they are misled. Not only should more be done to make us safer at home, but, as we know, the Iraq war has damaged us in the eyes of the world, strained our defenses, and created more terror and terrorists instead of less. Bush's supposed strength is, in fact, a weakness that threatens us.