posted
Try something with me. I want Democrats to state something positive Bush has done, and Rebublicans and people who support Bush to state something negative he has done. All I could think of was an anecdote I read about Bush and a transexual classmate he was kind to at a gathering. After all, nothing is black and white and no one is purely evil or good...
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I really like how Bush handled the climate immediately after 9-11. His leadership was decisive, his reaction was quick, but he waited for proof of Osama's involvement even while many were agitating to go to war based on incomplete evidence. Also, while the anthrax attacks were going on and the threat of terror seemed real, he seemed to have a good grasp of how to deal.
If only....
you know what. In the spirit of this thread, I'll leave my if onlys for another time.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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Kerry has run a miserable campaign, focusing far too much energy on his vietnam service record and allowing his own personal nuanced thinking to translate as indecisiveness.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
I'm Nathan Taylor, card carrying ACLU member and raging liberal who supports basically the entire loony left agenda (legalization of marijuana, gay marriage, no more death penalty, etc.) except for abortion, for which I am undecided. I attended the 2004 Texas Democratic Convention. I supported Gore in 2000 and supported Dean in 2004. Now I support Kerry.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
Sorry, name or screen name will suffice - I ask only so we can appreciate the particulars of your posting, as opposed trying to decipher your affiliations on the fly.
I'm not a particular party, but I just registered as a Republican. I don't own a Gun and do not support the NRA (not that people shouldn't be able to own a gun, just not my thing).
I'm conservative. Believe in Civil Unions not Gay Marriage. Believe in NO special rights for non-religious belief systems that aren't granted equally to religious systems as well.
I am for the placing of Government in the people's hands, not a minority.
I believe the government should represent what the people want, not the person.
I voted for Bush Sr.
I voted for Mr. Viagra. TWICE.
I will vote for Dubya because my enemies (terrorists) want Kerry and his ilk to win.
I didn't like that Bush signed Campaign Finance Reform. I don't like how Bush has seemed inaccessible to the people in the last several months, never coming out and answering--in a satisfying and eloquent way--criticisms about the war in Iraq, the prisoner abuse scandal, etc.
As far as good things about Kerry, that's a tough one. I don't hate him. I don't even dislike him. I just don't support his ideology. It's hard to think of something he's done that I like. I suppose his banter on the Daily Show was pretty hilarious, so kudos to him for that.
Posts: 407 | Registered: Jul 2003
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All the candidates make mistakes, but he's not a very eloquent speaker.
Which is very different from not being smart. Which both candidates are.
But I don't think you are going to see the President slam Kerry the way Kerry and his whole campaign slam Bush. It's not his personal Style. You may see Cheney say something (and then tone it down a day or two later) but Bush's stance is he's the best guy for the job and this is why.
I know alot of people don't like that Bush is being nice to Kerry and think that he should fight back.
I think it says something more about him.
Heck maybe he's an elitist and thinks he's above using Kerry's tactics.
Posts: 1533 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Hmmm.... I should not respond to the above, considering the idea of this thread was probably to test how long before we would start switching to the traditional bash the other guy approach, but please! Bush is above using Kerry's tactics? Have you seen Bush's speeches? Did you watch ANY of the Republican National Convention? How about gone to www.georgewbush.com or perused www.factcheck.org perhaps? The fact is that Bush is far far better at dirty politics than Kerry will ever be. He twists the record to portray Kerry as a "flip-flopper" and relentlessly mocks him on spurious grounds in his speeches ("Kerry now ssays x... But there are still b days left before the election!" "The only reason John Kerry needs his idea of two Americas is so that nobody will think it odd that there are two John Kerrys") and such. Most of what Kerry says about Bush is policy oriented, not ad hominem.
And I feel really bad about posting this in this particular thread. So I'll post another thing I like about Bush and another thing I dislike about Kerry.
Bush: I would say he's improved by orders of magnitude as a public speaker, but I'm gonna try really hard to come up with a policy one...
...
...
I think he's really improved as a public speaker. Now he's almost inspiring.
Kerry: Supports the seperate but equal institution of legal marriage for straight people and legal civil unions for gay people, as opposed to legal civil unions for eerybody and marriage being left to religion.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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I've seen a few, but I haven't seen where he has attacked Kerry directly. Now I'm talking about GWB himself, not outside sources or other people.
If you can point me to his SPEECHES in which he "blasts Kerry" over one point or another. I would be appreciative.
I looked at those websites, and I found other peoples writings about Kerry, but I couldn't find Bush blasting Kerry over obvious things that I do, etc.
The GWB website...Is that even an official website of the RNC or the Republican Campaign? It looks like the Republican equivalent of Moveon.org.
The Factcheck website was a good read. It did list a few GWB speeches.
Also, perhaps you can tell me where in Bush's RNC speech he blasted Kerry? I know others did. Including a Democrat. But perhaps I missed where Bush blasted him.
I do agree, Bush has made an issue out of Kerry's flip flops. So there is some attacking on the other end.
When it comes to Vietnam though, would I be wrong to say that Kerry himself takes the cake on attacking the other one?
If I am wrong and Bush himself has attacked Kerry over his Vietnam service (Bush himself, not pundits or grass roots orgs.) please steer me straight.
Posts: 1533 | Registered: Sep 2004
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www.georgewbush.com is Bush's official campaign web-site, thus he is responsible for everything on it except perhaps the forums (if there are forums).
As far as attacking Kerry's Vietnam service, you are right that Bush hasn't said a thing about it. Similarly, Kerry hasn't said a word about Bush's national Guard service that I can remember. In a political campaign, what the candidates "say" includes far more than what they speak.
Posts: 894 | Registered: Apr 2000
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1) I don't like Bush's policies on the environment.
2) I appreciate the fact that Kerry served his country in the military (even if I think that should not be a campaign issue because it isn't of current importance). I really don't much else at all about Kerry -- that is about all you hear about him on the news...
Farmgirl
p.s. I will respect the office of President no matter who gets elected -- I don't believe in defaming your own leader.
posted
Hmm. Ok, this looks like a safe political thread. I'm pretty much a liberal, I think. I'm all for gay marriage, etc. I still haven't decided who I'm voting for.
I think Bush's leadership after 911 was wonderful. I'm glad he was our president at the time. Bush scares me though because I think he bases some of his decisions on his religion - which isn't my religion or the religion of everyone in the country.
Kerry seems to care about the environment, so that's always good. However, I'd like to hear him take a firmer stance on issues. Though I don't often like Bush's stance on issues, at least I know where he is.
quote: I want Democrats to state something positive Bush has done, and Rebublicans and people who support Bush to state something negative he has done. All I could think of was an anecdote I read about Bush and a transexual classmate he was kind to at a gathering.
I actually read this as a bad thing. As in: "The only good thing Bush has ever done was that time he was kind of nice to a transexual. All the rest of the time he's bad." : D
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I would rather her initial premise of the thread be: those against Bush state something positive about him; and those against Kerry state something positive about Kerry Just as a way to keep it equal instead "Bush-centered" both ways.
But it is Syn's thread, so she can design it any way she wants.
I am not happy with everything about No Child Left Behind.
I'm sure there is much more, but I've really been trying not to pay attention to politics much this past year.
As positive about Kerry - I don't know enough about him to think of anything at the moment. I guess I can echo others and say that he did serve in Vietnam.
[ September 22, 2004, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: Belle ]
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I was going to use the immigration policy, Belle, but that's the thing that pushed [me] from "reluctant supporter" to "non-supporter" so I guess I don't get to say something bad. : )
posted
I was impressed by a speech Bush made shortly after the 9/11 attacks, in which he very effectively condemned the attacks that were starting to happen against muslims and those mistaken for muslims in this country.
I dislike Kerry's wooden public persona.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Of Bush, I don't like his choice to support prescription drugs for Medicare, nor his huge increased spending on education. I know that sounds cold-hearted, but I think those issues should be handled differently. More money does not equal a better education -- my child gets a much better education in a private school that costs A LOT less than what the government pays. Both healthcare and education require reform, not increased spending.
I don't like the faith-based initiative either, and believe wholeheartedly that such organizations should be funded by people who believe directly in their causes.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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