the presidential debates

[Mkitty]

i'm not the smartest person about politics, but i do know Kerry is a flip flop, and that he doesn't have any points. if Bush hadn't gone into war, we would be in bad shape, and we have no choice but to go into war. it was also Bush who has us safe from Saddam, and i trust Bush to keep us safe.

[Tiah]

Next debate- don't watch the television. Listen to it on the radio. Are facial expressions really what we should be voting for?

If I were old enough- Bush would get my vote. I don't trust Kerry, plain and simple. It's my opinion, so blast me for it. Please.

[aly]

I can assure you I am not voting on facial expressions. There are a few key issues that are extremely important to me personally and I am basing a lot of my decision on those issues. Kerry happens to support these issues while Bush does not. I am also basing my vote on the fact that I think Bush messed up time and time again and I think it is time to give someone else a try.

I was all for giving Bush more chances, but I'm tired of it now. I voted for him in the last election and regret it.

[lizbud]

An interesting point..........and so true,


Face it: Every politician flip-flops

By Daniel Schorr

WASHINGTON – In leaving for my vacation, I left my flip-flop indicator behind. Truth to tell, I've become a little weary of the flip-flop accusation, which is the political form of "Gotcha." And just about as meaningful.

Sen. John Kerry, before he was a presidential candidate, voted with almost everybody in Congress to authorize President Bush's use of force in Iraq. One could hardly do otherwise when the president said he had information about an imminent threat.

I'm reminded of 1964, when only two Democratic senators - Ernest Gruening of Alaska and Wayne Morse of Oregon - voted against the Tonkin Gulf resolution, which took America into the Vietnam War. And they were called traitors by many at the time.

Mr. Bush accuses Senator Kerry of flip-flopping when he voted against the funding bill for the war that he voted to authorize. Sure, but how about Bush's nation-building in Afghanistan and Iraq, having campaigned against nation-building? Or praising the report of the 9/11 commission, whose formation he opposed? Or negotiating with North Korea, which he promised not to do?

Let's face it: Every politician at one time or another will have to change his announced position to meet a changed situation. My favorite flip-flopper was Franklin Roosevelt, who campaigned for a balanced budget, then launched a series of budget-busting New Deal programs, trying to spend his way out of the Great Depression. Full disclosure: I benefited from one program, the National Youth Administration, which helped me through college with 50 cents an hour for sorting library slips.

The answer to the flip-flop accusation: Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. Show me a politician who has stuck to his position through thick and thin, and I will show you a politician who cannot be trusted to represent our interests in a changing world.

• Daniel Schorr is the senior news analyst at National Public Radio

[mugsy]

That's a good article Liz. I usually don't listen too much to what NPR has to say, any more than I do the Wall Street Journal or other WAY right publications or radio (like O'Reilly...contrary to what some seem to think) or TV, but, his points are valid. I don't care what political party you belong to or what leanings you have,if you use your mind and think, there will always be things on which you will change your mind.

I just know that I am WAY sick of hearing the term "flip flop" from both sides!!

[Pam]

Originally posted by christa
Wow, I guess I just figured it was this bad everywhere. I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard "I'm *blah blah* and I approve this message" . . . it really wears me out!

Oh my gosh. Me too! We have them back to back. Thank goodness for the MUTE button!

In regard to Bush's three mistakes, he did say he made some appointments that he shouldn't have but didn't want to divulge the names and embarrass anyone.

[mugsy]

Do the names Rumsfeld and Ashcroft work for anyone? lol

But Pam, that was only 1 mistake!! hehehe (I'm just teasing you)

[Pam]

Originally posted by mugsy
Do the names Rumsfeld and Ashcroft work for anyone? lol

But Pam, that was only 1 mistake!! hehehe (I'm just teasing you)

No problem Molly. You know I respect your opinions even though I may disagree with them sometimes. By the way, my brother is voting Libertarian, so there will be at least two for them to count. LOL!

[mugsy]

Well, at least it's nice to know that there will be at least 2 of us!! lol

You know I respect your opinion as well....that's why I knew I could tease you a bit.

[Karen]

When I heard that, I thought "Oh, how slick. He just decided to use an excuse no one would "call" him on." Slick Willie's got nothin' on him. I mean really - he couldn't think of one thing he could admit to?

[Mkitty]

i understand all of your guys points, but i would never vote for Kerry. He doesn't have any good points, and he is a TOTAL flip flop. i feel safe with Bush as president. people say we shouldn't have the war. we have no choice. Terrorists aren't going to stop, and they aren't going to talk, like Kerry wanted. The war is the best bet for us. i trust Bush to help America and keep it safe.

[aly]

Bush saying he appointed some of the wrong people was a cop out in my opinion. I wish he would have taken one ounce of blame for something instead of saying he appointed some people who were the ones who made the mistakes.

Just my opinion.

[Mkitty]

he has blamed himself for many things, and yes, he has done some, wrong things, but he is a better president than Kerry ever will be, because Kerry will never balme himself, and I just can't trust what Kerry will do if he is president.

[Lady's Human]

The question about mistakes should have never been allowed in the debate. No matter how the President answered, he would be wrong. It is a classic ambush question, to which there is no answer that would satisfy the other side. The moderator should have thrown that question out.

[Soledad]

Are you kidding me? We're not allowed to ask this president if he made mistakes?

Can I ask what's so special about W that he commands all of these new presidential rules and people just blindly agree with them? I can't imagine anyone being horrified if Clinton had been asked that question.