Fantasy Endorsements

Kerry has trumped Bush on endorsements, but I was irritated by the Chicago Tribune, even though it always endorses Republicans....

Dear Chicago Tribune Editors,

In your presidential endorsement I find a glossy analysis of Bush's poor presidency and errors about Kerry's judgement and plan to deal with terrorism and national security. I also think it’s odd that you and many talking heads treat the Cold War and the Gulf War as if they were preordained events that could only be won one way. Let’s stick with the present--Bush's touted Homeland Security is marginalized in Washington and has failed to make chemical plants and ports safe at home. Our presence in Iraq has killed 1,100 Americans, tens of thousands of mostly innocent Iraqis, and is a recruiting tool for terrorists, yet has been great for our military-industrial complex. Many in the world, and nearly 50% of Americans, see America acting like a blind bully. These situations make us less safe in the world and take away resources and troops from pursuing terrorists in other countries. Bush's mistakes in Iraq are the result of his inability to seek reality-based solutions. Bush retires, fires, or silences those who voice realistic analyses or provide non-ideological alternatives. He relies on faith, his gut, and Karl Rove's political machinations for the bulk of his decision making—if elected, he will give us more of the same. With such a fundamentally ungrounded and unprecedented approach to a presidency of reaction and revision, Bush falls short of your idealistic endorsement. How in the world do you think he'll correct the many errors you’ve listed when he doesn't even see them? The solutions to the problems he's created takes analysis and leadership that your own editorial admits Kerry can and will provide. Kerry and his strong admininstration will lead us in the terrorist fight with observation, a realistic view of cause and effect, statesmanship, and with a Clintonesque economy. Many Generals and Republicans have endorsed Kerry—but you described the strawman that Bush/Cheney/Rove have created. And like Bush’s presidency, your endorsement is based more on fantasy than reality.


And I didn't even mention the godless way he treats the environment...