Lileks delivers a smackdown to John Kerry. Bigtime. (A right, a left, another left…he’s on the top ropeOOOOOOOH, that’s gotta hurt)

You know, I really hoped that the Democrats would produce someone I could take seriously (see here and here). Someone who was taking the war seriously, so I could make my choice based on other issues. Sadly, that’s not the case.

I gotta wonder if Kerry really believes what he’s saying. I mean, I remember the rush to the left when the Deaniacs started making a fuss. Who knows what Kerry and Edwards might have done or said had Dean not been around to embody liberal anger? Doubtful that it would have been a lot different, but maybe somewhere in the rhetoric (Bush lied, Bush took us into the wrong war, he’s doing it wrong, he’s put America at greater risk, he alienated our allies) there’d be something like “we can not go back to the policies of the past, that emboldened terrorists and enemies of America. We must go forward, and continue to give them and the world notice that if you attack America, America will get you. No matter what we have to do, no matter what we have to endure, America will get you in the end.”

Actually, that’s pretty good. Maybe Kerry needs a speechwriter.

See, it’s the lack of any sort of admission by the Democrats that, while diplomacy and consensus are great, they can’t always be counted on. Our allies can’t always be counted on. Military force, sad as it may be, has to be an option. Especially now. Negotiations aren’t going to interest guys that fly airplanes into buildings, and sanctions aren’t going to deter them.

I desperately wish Kerry knew that. I wish I could believe he knows it. I wish I could at least believe he was lying to impress his base. But I can’t. Vote Bush.

That said, let’s badmouth him a little. I prefer him because I’m basically a one-issue voter this year, but I still have a couple problems.
First, I perceive a lack of candor toward, and trust in the American people from the administration. Every politician spins, but there’s a time when you’ve got to give your people some straight talk, not just demand that they follow along behind you. Gee Dub has missed a few opportunities to do this. Odd, since he’s reputed to be a straight talker.
The second problem actually stems from that ‘straight talking.’ I generally scoff at the accusation that he’s alienated our allies, but there have been times when a little more discretion would have been appropriate. Case in point: the Kyoto treaty would have died a quiet death had Bush simply done nothing (the Lileks column above addresses this too), but he loudly announced that he was scrapping it thus angering pretty much everybody. A small thing, maybe, but also a lack of sophistication.
Finally, something more substantial. I generally find myself agreeing more with the Democrats on some issues, and sure enough: I am greatly disturbed by Bush’s support for a marriage amendment, and by his opposition to abortion rights. On these, though, I think we can weather four more years.
- posted by Dactyl @ 8:46 AM