Which Would YOU Rather Have in a President?

(My one post for today, probably)

I’ve been watching the ongoing battle between President Bush and the putative Democrat nominee John Kerry, and I’m saddened but not surprised by the polling data that shows them in a statistical dead heat at this time. Dick Morris was on TV last night and made a pretty cogent point – this race is between two issues, not two people. The issues are the war on terrorism, and jobs. People who believe the war on terrorism is most important will vote for George Bush. Among the Undecided Middle, people who think jobs are more important (regardless of the rebounding economy, low unemployment rate, et. al) will probably vote for John Kerry.

But for me, those two issues are beside the point. I am more in agreement with Dubya than I would ever be with Kerry, but then I don’t really know where Kerry stands. Apparently nobody does. His positions seem more like probabilistic clouds, ruled by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle – you can’t know where he stands, and the act of trying to determine his position affects his position. I want someone in office I can trust, with positions I understand – even if I may disagree with some of his positions on some issues. Kerry never met an issue he couldn’t waffle on. Bush says what he means, and does what he says – a political tactic that seems to have thrown the political analysts here and in other nations for a loop. Bush has said he doesn’t do nuance.

Which reminded me of this article I found in the Sacramento Bee a while back that is still active. It’s from May 27, 2003, and it has the single most illustrative quote I have ever seen defining the difference between President Bush and other politicians – most especially John Kerry:

“What is a little disconcerting for the French is an American president who seems to be principled,” said Jean Duchesne, an English literature professor at Condorcet College in Paris. “The idea that politics should be based on principles is unimaginable because principles lead to ideology, and ideology is dangerous.”

There’s your choice in black and white. Do you want a President with principles, or do you want John Kerry?

Of course, there’s still time for Kerry’s campaign to implode before the convention. Then the Democrats could pull a Torricelli and nominate Hillary. But the choice would still be the same.