As I watched the first presidential debate, I was particularly struck by the reactions of so-called “undecided” voters who were more impressed by George Bush’s likability than by Al Gore’s grasp of the issues.
Are we so shallow as to vote for the leader of this nation on the basis of whether he would win Mr. Congeniality in a contest?
I want my president to be someone who can lead this nation and represent us intelligently to the rest of the world. I want a policy wonk, not some amiable average Joe who hasn’t quite grasped the issues.
It bothers me to hear a presidential candidate declare that Russia should step up to the plate to help resolve the crisis in Yugoslavia without even knowing that Russia’s interests in that regard do not coincide with our own.
It bothers me when a presidential candidate would take a program like Social Security and risk its solvency by allowing private investment of those funds. What happens when someone makes the wrong investment decisions?
It bothers me when a presidential candidate tells me he wants government off our backs, yet in the same breath would have that same government intrude into the most private and personal area of my life by limiting my reproductive rights.
It bothers me when a presidential candidate resorts to vague generalities when asked to explain his position on the issues and limits his responses to simplistic criticisms like “fuzzy math” without explaining what that means.
I implore the voters to stop basing their electoral choices on the surface qualities of the candidates and really listen to what those candidates are saying they would actually do.
Al Gore has the ability, vision and desire to continue this country’s extraordinary eight-year economic boom.
George W. Bush has neither the ability nor the vision–just the ambition.
