Girlieman Debates

I tried to avoid watching the second Presidential debate but just like a junkie, I was unable to control the compulsion to get the next hit. Off the cuff, I would say that John Kerry is sprouting a few more lines in his face this week. What’s up with that? And it was nice to see George W. show up for this debate. In fairness to George, I can understand being tired and off form after you spent the day visiting Florida hurricane victims whereas John had time to get a manicure.

I have to give credit to John Kerry; he comes across as a very credible man. He was very credible when he spoke as a young man before the Senate and accused American soldiers of committing war crimes reminiscent of Genghis Kahn on a daily basis. He was very credible when he took the floor in the Senate house in the 80’s when he spoke eloquently about how he spent Christmas in Cambodia and how those memories were seared –seared in his memory. He was credible when he wrote about VC the wonder dog or talked about how he got his lucky hat. No doubt his request to re-enact his combat missions so that he could film them with his 8mm camera sounded credible to his crew in Vietnam – well, at least to everyone but his gunner. Though I did think he started to stretch his credibility a tad when he implied that Teresa was anti-abortion counselor.

The problem with John Kerry is that history defies him. His credibility cannot stand beyond a moments examination. There has not been one major policy in last 30 years that he has not stood on the wrong side of history - from Vietnam to the Cold War to Gulf War 1. He is the modern equivalent of the 19th century snake oil salesman, and like any good salesman when he speaks he believes that his product will cure all your aches and ailments and just like the snake oil salesman; he cannot help dropping names of all those who have taken the Kerry cure.

In the debate tonight there were times if you were watching when you could see the bottle held no elixir. His lack of plan in dealing with Iran - let’s talk about North Korea or bunker busters instead. When he mentioned that he would increase the size of the armed forces by 40,000 soldiers – only one way to do that and it is called “draft”. When he fudged and hawed and never answered the young woman’s question on why federal funds should be used to finance abortion.

I do not have a vote in this election and no doubt there are many who would read these words and be glad that I do not, but in the end if I had, I would never cast my vote for the man who has made a career on standing on the wrong side of history.