The upcoming US presidential election

90% + Citizens ? are not interested in policies only leadership and strength qualities !

Graham George Of Billy

...and Kerry has already lost that debate in the publics' mind. Yet another disadvantage for Kerry: as president, Bush can go to Florida to inspect hurricane damage, sympathise w. victims and bring federal $; Kerry can't go because he might appear to be exploiting the disaster for political gain. Rove's minions are swatting down the current National Guard questions.

Put a fork in Kerry - he's done. Prepare to survive the next four years; after I get back from my Mexico vacation next January, I'm not leaving the country by air again 'til we get a reasonable person (ha!ha!ha!) in the WH. This time, people abroad who hate the U.S. will be blaming us for voting for Bush.

I T ' S O V E R A L R E A D Y

Where's the fat lady?

Zogby has Kerry ahead 264 electoral votes to Bush's 231 (http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=860).

Dan

ejl,

Mega hurricane damage or not, Jeb will have troopers setting up roadblocks election day, leaving those with shaky criminal backgrounds home fearing harrassment.

Just think- 28 Republican governors to possibly play this card.

AMERICANS BACK THE WINNER

I also see the same effect unfolding as in many past elections - which is, the US undecided voters usually end up voting for whoever they think is going to win, which favors Bush. The media plays into this as well, and you can see it in coverage of Kerry's campaign, which is always portrayed now as struggling or directionless. Same thing happened in Clinton vs. Dole in '96; once Dole was perceived as being somewhat hapless, it was all over.

Another thing: the Republicans are not merely trying to re-elect Bush; they are planning on reducing the Democrats to the status of minor party, maybe along the lines of the Greens or Libertarians, i.e. only a regional party of the West Coast, New England and maybe upper Midwest. That's right: the US with one-party government. Talk of this was overheard by a friend of mine who works as a bartender at an exclusive private country club east of Seattle when some DC Repubs were having a cigars'n'scotch meeting the last time Bush was in town.

Well now, I'm not so sure. EVEN Foxnews' poll from yesterday is showing a tie between Bush and Kerry - what to make of that!!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,131912,00.html

He's not out of it. I'm waiting for the Ohio Ad buy.

Judd

I'll be curious to see how much the "Texans For Truth" (about Bushs' Nat. Guard years) campaign gets picked up by the media, and how it plays w. the public...I just don't think the Dems have the stomach to go as negative as the Rs. Plus, some of the follow-up polling is not looking good; for example, Bush is ahead with women(!!!) in one poll...

I Hope you're right, Justin and Dan!

I'm not surprised that women prefer Bush despite his views on abortion and likelihood of a constitutional ban on cunnilingus if re-elected. He makes them feel "safe".

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Originally posted by Ludwig:
a constitutional ban on cunnilingus if re-elected.

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So: Bush or no Bush?

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I'm not surprised that women prefer Bush

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And there's me thinking that women prefer to be clean shaven, damn! there's another fantasy/myth exploded in my face.

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Originally posted by cunningplan:
[QUOTE] I'm not surprised that women prefer Bush

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And there's me thinking that women prefer to be clean shaven, damn! there's another fantasy/myth exploded in my face. [/Q
UOTE]

First it was taunting Welsh sheep, a closet case I reckon ?

Reminds me of that rather ironic car bumper sticker.

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First it was taunting Welsh sheep, a closet case I reckon ?

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I don't taunt sheep I quite enjoy their company.
There now! I'm out of the closet Mr Fritz

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Originally posted by cunningplan:

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First it was taunting Welsh sheep, a closet case I reckon ?

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I don't taunt sheep I quite enjoy their company.
There now! I'm out of the closet Mr Fritz

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Sure it wasn't Tony's Cabinet ?

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Sure it wasn't Tony's Cabinet ?

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Now what's Mr Blair got to do with Sheep?

One of the automated polling services called tonight (based on memory):

Do you plan to vote?
Do you plan to vote for Bush?
Do you plan to vote for Kerry?
Do you favor your taxes being decreased or remaining the same, as opposed to being increased?
Do you consider yourself pro-life on the issue of abortion?
Do you believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman?
Do you support the current mission in Iraq?
Do you support the NRA's position on Americans' right to bear arms?

After I answered all the questions, I thought "I have no idea who was collecting that information from me." So if I disappear, please know that I've been thrown away in an internment camp.

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Originally posted by Ludwig:
One of the automated polling services called tonight (based on memory):

Do you plan to vote?
Do you plan to vote for Bush?
Do you plan to vote for Kerry?
Do you favor your taxes being decreased or remaining the same, as opposed to being increased?
Do you consider yourself pro-life on the issue of abortion?
Do you believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman?
Do you support the current mission in Iraq?
Do you support the NRA's position on Americans' right to bear arms?

After I answered all the questions, I thought "I have no idea who was collecting that information from me." So if I disappear, please know that I've been thrown away in an internment camp.

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What kind of a poll is that? Are you supposed to answer the questions in a vacuum or are you supposed to answer them in the "real world"? For instance, suppose the pollster wanted to generate pro-bush responses. In a vacuum, of course I favor having my taxes "decreased or remaining the same, as opposed to being increased". For a Bush pollster, this generates a "pro-bush" response from me. But in the real world (that is, our world) I favor increasing taxes on some people (the wealthy) and decreasing taxes on the poor - and particularly I favor increased taxes in times of HUGE budget deficits and war. So, how am I supposed to answer that.

Judd

It was an odd poll, and that question was especially odd. I didn't phrase all the questions 100% accurately above due to memory loss, but another interesting fact is that they were asked in a rapidfire, somewhat confusing/backwards manner that required a fair bit of focus. I even answered the pro-life one inaccurately as I was occupied with arranging my coat hangers that moment.

Hey Judd, BTW I'm holding you personally responsible if Bush wins your state. And Bhoyo if he wins Florida.

BTW there's a futures market simulation where you trade on the presidential candidates in each state:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/market/

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Originally posted by Ludwig:
Hey Judd, BTW I'm holding you personally responsible if Bush wins your state. And Bhoyo if he wins Florida.

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Oh man! I'm doing all I can, short of voting (I'm not yet a citizen).

Florida is still the US in miniature - it's deeply divided and anything can happen. If there's a large turnout (and no shenanigans), the state goes to Kerry. If not, it's slit your wrists time.

I heard an amazing report on NPR yesterday about the history of Bush and Kerry in debates. Kerry hasn't changed over 40 years; Bush is unrecognisable! He used to sound just like brother Jeb, with hardly a stumble, lightning fast, on top of the issues and sharp as a tack. This whole bumbling persona is a sham. That, to me, is even scarier than the thought that he's a genuine moron.

Regards,
Davie

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Originally posted by Ludwig:
Hey Judd, BTW I'm holding you personally responsible if Bush wins your state. And Bhoyo if he wins Florida.

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Well, it's particularly filthy over here. I'm in med school now and aside from the students who jone AMSA (which supports socialized medicine), most med students are, sadly, pro-bush because they feel that Bush will protect them from the lawyers. They think Edwards is the coming of satan himself.

I'm stumping for Kerry pretty hard.

Judd

I love those sozialised automatic assault weapon's.

Finally

Finally Kerry's throwing some punches. And it seems to be working. Gone is Bush's post-RNC pop (if there was one). Still lots of ammo for Kerry to use, especially with Iraq falling to pieces. Of course, Rove's push-polling claiming that Kerry shot children in the back in Vietnam won't start for a few weeks and that's sure to have an impact.

As to what I think JFK needs to address:

1. People's fears that a change of guard is a bad thing during war/"war on terror"/etc.
2. His story on Iraq, the decision he would have made, the process, post-war plan, etc.

PS- The Cheney/Halliburton spot here isn't bad, but I want to see the new one discussing gas prices and the Saudi Royals.