Bush:"We need a president who understands the lessons of Sept. 11, 2001,"

Um, you mean lessons like, say, oh I dunno, going after & ACTUALLY CATCHING the rat bstrd who was behind it all, hmm?

Bush/Cheney/Rove = the ABSOLUTE worst thing/"attack" that ever happened to this country.

The era of the Repugnant Republican's raping of our country/world is almost over.

Turns out Enron was just a template for all else that followed, & not an exception...

NO More Bush/McSame!

Nice one-liners Frank, but one-liners won't keep me and my family safe. Neither will Obama.

McCain won't keep your family safe either. but he will continue to fight a pointless war that is killing thousands of our troops. i'm tired of the republicans viewing our troops as disposable.... they are people and they are dying because bush wants to play a political chess match. and how about all the innocent people who are getting blown up or shot at by our troops? it's a vicious circle that needs to end... Obama is that man to do that. it's not going to be easy, and no one will do it perfectly.. but at least he is taking the initiative. our country is heading down the toilet and it's time to do something about it.

Oh gopguy...it is clear that the fear campaign worked on you. You must fall within the GOPs target demographic of scared, uninformed, and has never travelled outside of North America.

You guys do realize that we are now winning in Iraq, right? Your liberal, Dem talking points are about a year old now.

What "initiative" has Obama shown? He didn't support the surge that has now turned the tide in Iraq. He wanted to pull our troops out regardless of what the Generals in Iraq were telling us. He wasn't willing to listen to the experts about Iraq, but he did pander to the radical left who wanted surrender over victory. What makes anyone think he will listen to the experts over Russia, Iran, China, N. Korea? Obama believes that words alone can stop missiles and bullets. He doesn't want to speak softly and carry a big stick. He wants to speak eloquently and carry a flower. Our country will suffer greatly because of his arrogance and lack of experience.

Acutally famillyguy, the goal of the surge was to hand over security to Iraq and to give its new government time to create an actual government...none of which has happened. If you base "winning" on the fact that insurgent attacks are down, is that really a surprise? The surge hasn't gotten us or Iraq anywhere. We are all stuck in the exact same position that we started in. If you call that "winning", I am scared for us because I hope the rest of the country has higher expectations.

ninja-man what about all the innocent people killed on 9/11/01 in our country. Is it so wrong of those who want to try to prevent that from ever happening again. Besides, have you been over there, have you seen the women and children with the guns and the bombs killing our soldiers? It is a different life over there, it's not just soldiers we know fighting that war. There are always innocents killed in war. That country knew that before they took part in 9/11/01. That was the chance they took. And please don't tell me you are really naive enough to believe they had no part in 9/11/01.

"You guys do realize that we are now winning in Iraq, right? " Winning??? What do you mean by winning? Has the war in Iraq solved our terrorism problem? Are the leaders who were behind the attack on the WTC behind bars (or dead)? I haven't seen anything that it has actually "solved" for us. Granted, the people in Iraq are much better off but I am actually more concerned about the people here in the US who are losing their homes, don't have enough money to feed their kids or to fill their gas tanks!

I can see a handful of you here don't even bother visiting with the troops when they return from overseas. Of course why would you, that would just deflate your ill-informed premise that we are accomplishing nothing in Iraq or Afghanistan.

When I want to become more informed on the war, I don't look to CNN or the talking points from our liberal politicians. But for that matter, I don't bother listening to Fox news, or what our Republican legislators are telling me either.

Nope, I go right for the source. I look to the brave men and women over the the 139th Airlift Wing that I am acquainted with. I look for every opportunity to visit with any soldier who just returned from a stint in Iraq. I look to our war veterans who have experience dealing first-hand with what challenges our enemies present us.

And from those contacts, I have a better feeling of what we really are accomplishing in the Middle-East, what challenges we still face in the War on terror, and how the hard work of those men and women is truly justified, and what great things they are doing to make the world a safer place to live. By spouting off at the mouth without visiting with these folks first-hand, you are pretty much slapping them in the face and cutting short our military efforts.

we're not fighting the war on terrorism, we are trying to flex our military muscles to the rest of the world.. we are trying to convert Iraq to our style of government.. who says that our way is the best way? they don't want us there, so why stay?
joetowner- i think it's great that you visit our troops and the veterans and hear their side of the story. i agree that there is always 2 sides to every story. that being said, have you checked out ivaw.org? plenty of soldiers come back from the war and realized they were brainwashed into thinking they are fighting a worth while fight. it's sad... there will always be people for and against war. all i'm saying is that it's time to give someone who is against war a chance to do something for our country. the pro-war guys have ran this show long enough. i proudly back a man who "speaks eloquently and carries a flower"....

There are about 2 things you really need to look at in a president. Protecting this country, national security and foreign relations, and then maybe their appointments like to the Supreme Court.

other than that, the president really has little power when all is said and done. He can declare war, but these flowery ideas some of the candidates have really have no lags, as it takes the House and Senate to really ever pass anything, and all the President ever has power to do is sign it or veto.

So with that said, I want to elect someone with a strong military background, not someone that thinks we are going to be able to talk us out of any conflicts. Look where that got Jimmy Carter with Iran.

It will take many years before we can begin convincing those in the Middle east that what we are doing is beneficial to them. I mean honestly, these guys couldn't walk down the street without fear for their lives if they wanted to buck their government. All that want is safety for their family, and at this point they still don't know who to turn to or who to trust. is the Taliban watching them as they befriend Americans? Will they be murdered for assisitng our US military? I'm not advocating we stay there forever, but it is sad to think this is what these people are dealing with and this is what we are trying to overcome.

I'd think most of the tree-huggers out there would be for a better life for all in this world. Yet, most of them seem so self-centered and not seeing this conflict for what it truly is, an effort to help the Middle-east improve their way of life while at the same time providing more peace and stability in the region.

Yet a lot of those tree-hugging folks who believe their life is filled with passion, seem pretty incompassionate when it comes to the well-being of those being tortured and threatened by their leaders in these 3rd world countries.

StjoeMo, are you even watching the news anymore? The Anbar district was recently handed over to the Iraqi military and Gen. Patreus has stated that we may be handing Baghdad over by next Summer. That is clear and compelling evidence that the surge worked and we will soon be out of Iraq based on conditions on the ground and not some pre-determined timetable of defeat that Obama and the Dems have supported for years. The Iraqi government is stepping up and taking ownership of their country and as they do that we will stand down. That has been the plan for years now and it's coming to fruition because McCain and Bush did not listen to the libbie left who believed it was more important to surrender than to win.

family guy, exactly...

And joetowner too, the president really doesn't have the control over alot.

And when have we ever known a president to get into office and do everything they promised to "get your vote"?

I fully agree, I want a president who will protect our country and knows what that means...not one that is as someone said it awhile back, sitting around holding hands singing kumbaya with the terroists!

i sang kumbaya with some terrorists one time... other than being off key, it went pretty well.

familyguy, your information is coming from the same people that declared victory in May of 2003. There has to be a piece of you that understands that the Bush Administration is grasping any ounce of good news that come come out of this quagmire. He is about to leave office and needs a miracle to save his family's legacy. When is the last time you saw a soldier's funeral on the news...NEVER, that's right. The military won't allow it; even when the soldier's family requests the media. Don't be so easily manipulated. That is what got our country into this mess.

At least the GOP has someone that has served his country and has children doing the same! He has also made 8 trips to Iraq to talk to the people on the ground! Obama made 1 after he started campaigning the topped it off with a great speech in Germany after a rock concert with free food and drink. Nothing but publicity!!!!

i get so tired of people making such a big deal out of McCain "serving his country".... great, he was in the military.. and now you say his kids are too... good for them. it's military minded people like that who got our country into this crap hole that we're in now.... strike 3 baby, you're out!

The people that serve in the military are the ones that won you the freedom of speech you are able to use every time you post!!!!

KAS - "Has the war in Iraq solved our terrorism problem?" Do you realize that we haven't been attacked on our own soil since 9/11? Apparently, we are "winning". We were attached nearly every year prior to the start of the war on terrorism. Someone is getting our message...

ninja_man: You're right - serving his country doesn't give him a free pass to the presidency. Fred Thompson did make a noteworthy observation last night, though:

"Now, being a POW certainly doesn't qualify anyone to be president, but it does reveal character. My friends this is the kind of character that civilizations from the beginning of our history have sought in their leaders: strength, courage, humility, wisdom, duty, honor."

i agree, the military did give us freedom of speech. but what i'm saying is that there's more to being president than just serving in the military. we don't always have to be at war with another country. there's plenty of things that our military can do for us in our own country.

StJoeMo --- I would argue that I AM more well informed than you.

Grimjack --- Why is it important to you that America be liked for its foreign policy? If you are insinuating that we should please the likes of Russia, Iran, and North Korea, you know very little about foreign policy. My hope is that our country never seeks to appease those that would do us or our allies harm. If it is Germany and France you refer to, do you notice how our relations with them have improved as their leadership moved in a different direction with the elections of Merkel and Zarkozy?

Appeasement with and apathy towards our enemies is what sparked 9-11. Along with other factors, it is also what led to WWII. Presenting a strong front against our enemies (Russia's opinion be damned) is what makes for a strong nation. Why can't you see that?

I don't think war is always the answer, but I would be anxious to learn from liberals what justifies the United States defending itself? Is it that we must wait to be attacked? I would much rather be more proactive than reactive. I know that goes against a liberal's natural instinct, but we should always be proactive in our foreign policy.

The bottom line in my book is that we have not been attacked again since 9/11.

Wow gopguy, thank you for that insightful clarification on what you know.

Ninja- "i sang kumbaya with some terrorists one time... other than being off key, it went pretty well."

Spy- "I was with you ninja, remember, it was great and we hugged afterwards."

Just then as the pressure from the hug gave way, it was then, that Ninja realized that Spy was really a suicide bomber. Their eyes locked on each other, you know, that look one gets when they know their time is up. Ninja screamed...how could you, I even brought flowers, we sang kumbaya! Spy was elated, laughing out loud just before the blast. SUCKER

McCain's military experience will carry alot more weight in protecting our country. The exremists over there are praying Obama gets in office because they know we will all be sitting ducks!

There are still terrorist in this world that want to do our country and others harm. If you choose not to believe that so be it.

I have an open question for everyone -- it's for supporters of both McCain or Obama or for undecideds.

Have the conventions swayed your opinion at all about either candidate? Has anyone said anything to make you change your vote?

My hypothesis is that these conventions, in most cases, do nothing except reinforce beliefs that voters already have. Obama supporters were fired up last week, and now they're angry about what they see in St. Paul. McCain supporters were angry about what they saw in Denver last week, and now they're fired up about McCain.

Is there anyone on here who can honestly say they watched a convention and then changed their mind about who they were voting for?

I'm just curious, as it seems to me that the conventions are nothing more than taxpayer-financed parties that fuel partisan bickering.

Your welcome StJoeMO. From your previous posts, I see debating specifics isn't your forte. You would much rather generalize things and try to spark emotion rather than discuss specifics. I understand why, since the facts do not support your argument.

The best comment so far is from the one who said he speaks to the soldiers coming back. How many of you griping, I wonder, have ever asked a soldier who's been to the Middle East what they thought? I bet you'd be surprised. There are a few of course who voice out against the war but the majority will tell you we are doing what needed to be done. One told me we should have just bombed the whole place but since we didn't we have to stay to help clean it up now. He said now that we have torn into the country we can't just walk out and leave it. If the soldiers fighting the war understand it why is it so hard for some and actually what does it matter if those of you who've never served understand it?

"You guys do realize that we are now winning in Iraq, right? Your liberal, Dem talking points are about a year old now."

- familyguy

I have a response to this. I'm a liberal, and I fully acknowledge that we are winning in Iraq.

Here's my arguement: winning in Iraq has done nothing to make American citizens safer. In fact, the war in Iraq has made Americans less safe. Al Qaeda did not even exist in Iraq until we invaded the place. The camps were in Afghanistan and the benefactors were in Saudi Arabia. It took Al Qaeda years of planning to kill thousands of people on 9-11. When George Bush sent Americans to the Middle East, he simply gave the terrorists an easy way to double their body count. Al Qaeda's goal is to kill Americans, and Bush brought our soldiers directly into the line of fire. The Iraq war has benefitted iraquis in that it gave them the seeds of democracy. But has it helped Americans in any way?

I strongly favored the Afghanistan invasion. It was a great way to stop terrorism in its tracks ... but then we got distracted and went to Iraq. Now Al Qaeda in Afghanistan is bigger than it was before 9-11.

9-11 killed 3,000 Americans.
The Iraq war has killed 4,000 Americans and allowed terrorism to GROW!

If that's your idea of "safe", then Mission Accomplished!

I would just like a liberal to answer my question of when it is acceptable for the United States to defend itself? Please just_sayin, every liberal uses the Afghanistan as their example of when it is justified. That's a cop out because no one could logically be opposed to that operation.
When is it ok? Is it only when we are attacked? Is it when the enemy shipped are aligned on our coastline? Is it when our allies are directly threatened? Is it when we believe someone to be amassing an arsenal to attack us or our allies? When is it ok?

the conventions havent swayed my vote. i view the conventions as a way to get pumped up for the days to come.... a pep rally if you will... a very expensive pep rally.

4wildones - i have talked to many soldiers after they come back from Iraq, in fact i sit right by one at work. so i guess that means i'm allowed to gripe? thanks for that clarification.

I'll leave you with this:
If a child is pigeon toed it does not mean there is something wrong with the feet. It just tells which way the toes point when the child or person walks.

It could mean something is wrong...Pigeon toe is a result from tibial or fibular torsion, that may over time correct itself, and other times it remains. The degree of the torsion or inward tilt will determine if surgical intervention is warranted.

and pigeon toed children probably shouldn't try to jump fences, apparently.....

Ahhh so that is where "potty mouth" comes from.

just_sayin expressed my sentiments exactly! I don't see where we are any further ahead in stopping terrorism. We haven't any clue what is going on behind the scenes. 9/11 wasn't an overnight process! Is there anyone who can guarantee me that there isn't some extremist (foreign or US) group who is planning an attack on American soil right now. Just because we are over in Iraq doesn't mean that we are safe and anyone who thinks that needs to think again.

Besides some of the worst terroristic acts on US soil were caused by domestic terrorists. How soon we forget the "Timothy McVeighs" and some of the other extremists who were born and raised right here in the US.

I do speak to military men and women who have returned. My husband works with many who have returned (He is down doing relief work in LA and MS right now and he can give you a WHOLE earful of what he thinks of politicians who show up at disasters, whether it is hurricanes in the south or flooding in IA). Yes, some of them think we are doing what needs to be done over there but a good share of them think the direction it is heading now is not in the best interest of the US. Why do you think that so many do not re-enlist? It seems like the younger they are, the more disillusioned they are when they come back.

The conventions are a joke. A way for politicians to get together to party and show off. Nothing new is ever said at them. It is the same old, same old. Spending lots and lots of money to have a good time seems to be the biggest thing on the agenda. And BOTH parties seem to spend buckets of money-- not like the obviously Republican post-er who made a comment on an earlier post on how Democrats are spending so much on security. This comment still makes me shake my head in disbelief that there are people who are so shallow and ignorant to think that the Republican convention will not have security-- or maybe s/he thinks all the extra police are donating their time since the GOP is the better party???