Last night I told myself I wasn't going to watch the debate. After hearing about a 32 page "memo of
understanding" dictating everything from the temperature of the room to the direction the time indicator lights would face, I decided that this was more a 90 minute commercial than an intelligent debate on the issues.

Last night I was proven wrong. Oh boy, was I ever proven wrong. I was proven wrong by the strong and resolute words of a great man, my President, John F. Kerry.

When the debates closed last night, you could almost hear the sound of hundreds of reporters flipping madly
through their Thesauruses attempting to find synonyms for words that they haven't used in conjunction with
Kerry's speeches in the past. Words like clear, concise, strong, effective, and yes, Presidential.

He stood behind that podium last night as the most Presidential he has ever looked. As he spoke, he
washed away any doubts anyone may have been having about his ability to lead. He presented himself as just that, himself and said loud and clear just how great he could be.

On November 2nd, I, like so many millions of Americans who saw that same image of a leader in Kerry last
night, will proudly, steadfastly, and with great resolve, cast my vote for John F. Kerry as the next President of these United States.

Chris McGregor
spacechimp@yahoo.com

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Miriam Webster's dictionary defines someone who is resolute as Bold and Steady. I would beg to differ with Chris McGregor that Senator Kerry was "resolute". After watching the debate, I pulled up the full transcripts of the debate and found the Senator Kerry stills suffers from the ability to keep his record straight. The following are the exact words of Senator Kerry from those transcripts.

KERRY: Well, you know, when I talked about the $87 billion, I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?
LEHRER: Are Americans now dying in Iraq for a mistake?

KERRY: No, and they don't have to, providing we have the leadership that we put -- that I'm offering.

I believe that we have to win this. The president and I have always agreed on that. And from the beginning, I did vote to give the authority, because I thought Saddam Hussein was a threat, and I did accept that intelligence.

What part of Senator Kerry's words do you consider resolute?

First of all, Senator Kerry admits that he did think that Saddam Hussein was a threat, and that he accepted the intelligence, which was the same intelligence that President Bush used to decide on how to deal with Saddam. Then Senator Kerry goes on to say that he made a mistake about how he talked about the $87 billion and the war. No where in his comment does he talk about the vote that he cast in denying the support to the troops that they needed. Is that a mistake also? If his vote is a mistake, how do you put him in charge of the War on Terrorism that could determine the future of our nation?

When Senator Kerry was in the heat of the primary campaign running against Howard Dean he also made this comment.

"Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein and those who believe today that we are not safer with his capture don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be elected president." (CNN's "Capital Gang," 12/20/03; Anne Q. Hoy, "Dean Faces More Criticism," [New York] Newsday, 12/17/03)

Senator Kerry, in his own words, has declared that he, himself, lacks the judgment to be President or the credibility to be elected President.

This nation cannot afford a double-talking politician when it comes to our national security. You can polish Senator Kerry's style all you want, but it still comes down to his lack of core convictions. This is a dangerous signal to our enemies.

Our nation needs and deserves the continued leadership of President Bush. He has never waivered in his belief that our national security is the top priority of his presidency. President Bush has been firm and unwaivering in his actions and speech concerning our nation's battle against terrorism. President Bush is "Strong and Resolute" in his ACTIONS and WORDS. That is what our nation and the world needs.

Valerie Morris
VMorris347@aol.com