What goes into your opinion on who should be the next president? Just the issues? Or do personality, life experience, and family play a role?

I’m sure you guys have heard about Teresa Heinz-Kerry getting a lot of attention for speaking her mind. Does a strong first lady build the image of a strong president?

And what about personality and life experience? What do you think about Bush’s image as a religious man, or Kerry’s experience as a Vietnam veteran?

"1) Being for civil unions and being against gay rights is NOT the same thing. Remember, not too many years ago gay rights WAS being pro civil unions. Plus Kerry supports reforms and additions to the privileges that come with "civil unions," even though he is nominally against gay marriage."

gay rights and civil unions arent the same thing. i dont know if thats what you said-in a roundabout way.

"2) Kerry is pro-choice politically, and always has been. If he wants to be pro-life within his personal beliefs then that is up to him, but since he has proven that will not back down from the pro-choice cause, that fact has little bearing on the way his politics and political personality are judged."

i know that he is politically pro choice. but if he wanted tobe truthful, he should stand up for what he believes in and tell the people. but thats just what i think and then of course comes in common welfare...

"3) He was raised Catholic because it was difficult to be a Jew during his Austrian immrigrant father's time, so his father changed his named from Kohn to Kerry, married a German immigrant, and converted, hiding the truth from his baptized-Catholic son. Moreover...why does it matter?"

it doesnt have to do with anything. i just brought it up.

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Originally posted by redrepublican:

kerry is against gay rights. he is for civil unions. there is a difference. he mnay vote pro choice but he personally pro life. did any of you know that kerry was a Jew? i think it was his father that changed him to Catholic.

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1) Being for civil unions and being against gay rights is NOT the same thing. Remember, not too many years ago gay rights WAS being pro civil unions. Plus Kerry supports reforms and additions to the privileges that come with "civil unions," even though he is nominally against gay marriage.

2) Kerry is pro-choice politically, and always has been. If he wants to be pro-life within his personal beliefs then that is up to him, but since he has proven that will not back down from the pro-choice cause, that fact has little bearing on the way his politics and political personality are judged.

3) He was raised Catholic because it was difficult to be a Jew during his Austrian immrigrant father's time, so his father changed his named from Kohn to Kerry, married a German immigrant, and converted, hiding the truth from his baptized-Catholic son. Moreover...why does it matter?

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Originally posted by noisee:
I really don't know. I am not happy with the president we have now. But Kerry kind of condradicts himself when he says things. I really don't know what to think of either of them.

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see you and hte rest of the American Public ae the same way. they know nothing about kerry and how does he expect to get votes from the American Public if they dont know who he is? one poll showed that he LOST geound after the DNC. heck i dont even think his staunch supporters kow what he stands for but it only goes to show you that the liberals dont support kerry at all. kerry is just a vessel of hatred.

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Originally posted by junglefever06:
how is he against gay rights?

plus, as far as legislation he has always voted pro-choice. i dont know what leads you to believe that he is pro-life other than the fact that he is Catholic. but who cares about his religious beliefs? they shouldn't play into his political actions anyway.

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kerry is against gay rights. he is for civil unions. there is a difference. he mnay vote pro choice but he personally pro life. did any of you know that kerry was a Jew? i think it was his father that changed him to Catholic.

I really don't know. I am not happy with the president we have now. But Kerry kind of condradicts himself when he says things. I really don't know what to think of either of them.

Kerry is pro-choice, which puts him at odds with the Catholic church. You must have missed the controversy when a few bishops said he couldn't receive Communion for having worked against the beliefs held by the Church. Fortunately that's been squashed (since Communion is about unity) and Kerry remains pro-choice.

how is he against gay rights?

plus, as far as legislation he has always voted pro-choice. i dont know what leads you to believe that he is pro-life other than the fact that he is Catholic. but who cares about his religious beliefs? they shouldn't play into his political actions anyway.

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Originally posted by Eika:
The way I see it is that both major candidates support issues- most of the issues they both support I don't like. Plus, no one running is AGAINST the war, which doesn't give us much choice on that. From what I can see, though, is Bush has done a wonderful job of screwing up for four years- let's give Kerry the same chance.

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bush hasnt screwed anything.

"I'm voting for Kerry.

I'm too pro-choice.
too for gay-rights
and too against this war to vote for bush.

He is the opposite of everything I stand for"

actually it is kerry who i soposite. he is personally pro life, he said so himslef, he is against gay rights, and if elected (dont count on it) he'll stay in Iraq.
hope that didnt crush your dreams.

The way I see it is that both major candidates support issues- most of the issues they both support I don't like. Plus, no one running is AGAINST the war, which doesn't give us much choice on that. From what I can see, though, is Bush has done a wonderful job of screwing up for four years- let's give Kerry the same chance.

I'm voting for Kerry.

I'm too pro-choice.
too for gay-rights
and too against this war to vote for bush.

He is the opposite of everything I stand for.

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Unfortunately, the few people I think are best-qualified to lead this country aren't running,

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Same with me. I don't like anyone who is running for president, but I would vote for Kerry over Bush, although I dislike both of them almost the same amount, because Kerry is not Bush.

Issues are the main thing for me, but also devotion to the betterment of one's country. This is why Kerry is exactly the worst possible choice for president. I can't say Bush is 100% great on this - far from it - but he's vastly better. Unfortunately, the few people I think are best-qualified to lead this country aren't running, and aren't currently even considering it as far as anyone knows.

The nature of politics tends to alienate the best-qualified people.

Having some kind of global knowledge is important, and that's fostered by travel. I mean, if we're going to legitimately make the case that we're helping out other nations and understand their problems, it is a Very Good Thing for both appearances and practical reasons if our "fearless leader" (pshaw) has traveled and seems experienced enough to make that kind of decision. It lends credibility, believe it or not. As somebody pointed out, we are supposed to be a "world leader." You can't lead without knowing who you're leading. Sounds stupid, but true. PS: Going to the UN does not count as international travel - because America values the UN so highly, of course.

Hare Krisha, y'all.

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whats wrong with him never going out of America (if thats true) he loves America. nes been to Afghanistan or Iraq cant remember wich one it was.

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traveling gives you sooo much knowlegede..... its so wonderful.... you get to know this world.... the cultures.... the U.S. should have a prez that knew about the world.... i think i know a lot more about it than bush does, which is embarrassing for him

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Originally posted by KarenKoltrane:

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whats wrong with him never going out of America (if thats true) he loves America.

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That was a question, meaning that you should have put a question mark at the end of it. I'm not trying to be a *****, and I know I make mistakes, but don't you learn about puncuation in elementary school?

And what's wrong with Bush not going out of the country is that he's president of the "greatest country in the world". He's not only America's leader; he's a world leader. And a world leader should at least go to Canada. And it's not like he couldn't travel because money was tight. He didn't travel because he didn't care, or he was too lazy. And those aren't usually qualities you look for in a leader. Although I don't, and I won't, base my opinion of him on things like that, most people do, and I'm just pointing out qualities that most people would probably not want their president to possess.

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but he has many times.

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whats wrong with him never going out of America (if thats true) he loves America.

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That was a question, meaning that you should have put a question mark at the end of it. I'm not trying to be a *****, and I know I make mistakes, but don't you learn about puncuation in elementary school?

And what's wrong with Bush not going out of the country is that he's president of the "greatest country in the world". He's not only America's leader; he's a world leader. And a world leader should at least go to Canada. And it's not like he couldn't travel because money was tight. He didn't travel because he didn't care, or he was too lazy. And those aren't usually qualities you look for in a leader. Although I don't, and I won't, base my opinion of him on things like that, most people do, and I'm just pointing out qualities that most people would probably not want their president to possess.

whats wrong with him never going out of America (if thats true) he loves America. nes been to Afghanistan or Iraq cant remember wich one it was.

i'm not going to get into a whole debate on vietnam, as much as i desperately would like to...suffice it to say, get the facts about vietnam and explore the controversy a little more before you judge kerry for speaking up. in his journals as a soldier, he talks about the moral conflicts that he, and lots of other soldiers like him, was having fighting a shades-of-gray war, like how something's wrong when there's a body count every day and the only difference between a good day and a bad day is whose death count is higher. i want a president who is thoughtful and considerate of the implications of our country's decisions, who is able to examine conflict and aftermath. surprise surprise, i dont see that in dubya very often (read: polite way of saying "not at all"). focus and resolve on issues and committment to the bettterment of areas of the country are extremely important, as well as strength of character. but its important that somebody is in office who is able to see more than from point A to point B, who realizes that stuff happens in between, around, off to the sides thats going to affect us later - because global politics arent linear, folks. i think that kerry could do this, at least somewhat, and i have some trust in his vietnam sensibilities.

for the record, im a green. a pretty stereotypical one, too, which is kind of annoying...hippie, Beatles & Dead fan, writer, vegetarian...its disgusting, isnt it?