Actually, I think that's quite a nice way of putting it. I wouldn't go so far as to say our Commander inChief is flat out stupid, but maybe just a little.....slow.

I really don't think he's mentally slow, I think he just isn't fast with coming up with slick political answers. He stutters because he can't say the actual thing he's thinking, and he's working on a diplomatic way to put it.

*nods* Thats a possibility

It's an act! I don't like Bush one little bit but I think that is just a "gee, shucks" act. It's more like he's too evil to be that stupid, ya know?

DanaC--could we borrow Tony Blair?

It is his strongest style feature, a common touch which Kerry distinctly lacks, and which may be the determing difference in the election.

The people don't want to be led by someone too unlike themselves. It is an understandable bias. Therefore, I agree Bri, I think it is an act, to some level. I think he said "NUKE-u-lar" one day and his handlers looked at it and said, NO, DO NOT CORRECT IT.

In a campaign, you sweat details like this.

Bush was raised in one of the oldest of old money northeastern families. They portray him as a Texan, and I suppose he is, but here is a guy with the highest of high-class family and education, all in the Northeast: Phillips (MA), Yale BA (CT), Harvard MBA (MA). If he didn't come out of that all high-falutin', I for one would recognize that as a personality strength.

You've got to be kidding.

I think he said "NUKE-u-lar" one day and his handlers looked at it and said, NO, DO NOT CORRECT IT.

I was reading an article on politician "handlers," back at the beginning of his first campaign, that claimed he actually used to say the word correctly when he was governor of Texas, and that they must have outright TOLD him to say it incorrectly because it would make him more approachable. But of course I couldn't begin to remember a source for that...

"DanaC--could we borrow Tony Blair?"

Oh Good Lord yes! Yes! No, no, no trouble, dont mind a bit, just say the word we'll shove him on a plane....send him back in a couple of years....or not....in fact just keep him, there yes, he's yours.

"The people don't want to be led by someone too unlike themselves"

I personally want to be led by someone a lot less flawed and a lot more capable than me.

unfortunately that is not possible we are all flawed equally but in different areas.

I also want someone whose biggest quality isnt his dad

I agree. With the US being the most powerful nation in the world I just think we should all expect a little more out of our leader than to be (or act like) the average bumbling everyday citizen.

and people condemn kerry for coming off as elitist. the perfect president only exists in our dreams because one person cannot be all things to all people.

Some would say that is at the height of liberalism: that government is better than "us" and that it requires the very best and brightest, a group of people better and smarter than us, to determine what should best be done to find a bright future.

As for me, I don't know.

Liberal? Not sure. Was the essence of the illuminati though. Also was in Deux Ex now I think of it - the idea that the smartest and the most ruthless will always rule. They had the right idea. Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar, no mean feat.
The thing is, bush is just a plain faced halfwit that makes a nice face for people like Cherny, Wolfowitz and Perle who really pull the strings and decide what happens, like cockroaches they all hate the spotlight so bush makes a nice operating cover.