Monday, August 30, 2004

And Here They Are

Well, the Republicans have arrived. Part of me wishes I was going down there, I could have hung out with Hannity and seen Phil Boyce again and it would have been interesting to volunteer. I can't say for sure why I never pushed it, maybe it's part fear and part not being sure I really do support the cause.

I was pretty right wing for a long time, almost conservative for a while in my thought. I'm a die-heard child of the Reagan era and I loved the 80's and did well for myself in the 80's.

I don't really like John Kerry. I'm not interested in the whole war thing, I'm the post Vietnam generation. When I was in school Vietnam was over but it was still a fresh wound and it wasn't something taught in the classroom. Wasn't until college and the brilliance of Dr. Peter Slater that I came to understand just what Vietnam had been about. I think it's a nice touch when a President has served but I don't think it's necessary.

I don't find Kerry to be true in his words and his record on congressional voting is a shaky one. I find it hypocritical that he dares to call himself 'of the people.' I do like Terry Kerry, though. About time someone told the press to shove it, I thought that was great.

I like Edwards. I really like Edwards. His breakdown after the death of his son and his wife's willingness to help her husband and have such late childbirth touches me. But we don't vote for the President based on the VP, do we?

And then there's G.W. I think he's taking a lot of shit he doesn't really deserve. I'm torn down the middle on Iraq, I had no problem with the war or ousting Saddam. I don't think they had any sort of realistic post-war plan and that sits on his shoulders. The fact that he would pander to the right and even entertain the notion of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage really bothers me.

But I trust him with the terrorist threat in a way I don't trust Kerry. Kerry said something about reasoning with them, it scares me that he might actually believe he can sit down for tea and crumpets with Usama bin Laden and make friends.

I'm going to be watching the convention closely along with the crazy protestors who will probably piss me off enough to get their own warble in Dumbasses. I'm going to watch and read and I look forward to the debates.

As I stand right now, I'll be voting Bush. I'm open to change between now and November but there's just something so damn smarmy about Kerry.

Yes, smarmy. My word.