I suppose the media 'shift' will depend on whether their incomes are in that tiny group of wealthiest folks who might be facing a Kerry tax increase. And whether Rove has threatened the families of any reporters.

I'm in the camp of 'it pays to be paranoid' with slime like Rove oozing around.

As somebody pointed out (can't remember where), the SCLM is already focusing more on the "Global Test" issue, and not on the fact that Bush thinks Homeland Security is too expensive.

Time for still more letters to the editor. Thank God he won that debate; otherwise we'd be really screwed.

As far as the 'global test' issue goes I see a lot more anxiety in the Left Wing of the Blogosphere than actual coverage in the SCLM. The whole effort to resist being identified with the UN or God forbid France is a simple byproduct of the war hysteria in the first place. The blowhards who insisted all along that we didn't need anything from the UN, and so the whole organization and all its component parts could pretty much screw off, were wrong on Iraq. France was right. And the anti-war Left need not run away from that. Repeat after me "France was right, Bush was wrong".

For those that drank the kool-aid this may be difficult. But there is a reason the US was the leading actor in creating a system that required Security Council buy-off before launching a pre-emptive war. And no 9/11 didn't "change everything", and it is enormously self-centered for Americans to suggest it did. Once again repeat after me "France was right, Bush was wrong". See? Gets much easier over time.

I agree with the first comment. With Rove on the other sideline, the race is never over. But still good news. And Bruce, I think the blogsphere is worrying more about the "global test." My roommate said there was some Kerry surrogate on the TODAY show who, in response, read from the transcript of the debate where Kerry said, "I will never cede authority when it comes to protecting America." And the fact that Kerry gave an example of DeGaulle and JFK in relation to missile sites, I think makes his argument stronger.

France was right because, as with Vietnam, they had failed in their own attempts at controlling Algerian affairs. I didn't know it until recently, but Chirac was in Algeria during the 50's and 60's. So, unlike our coward deserter president, he had a clue what the foreign relations costs and military consequences would be of an expedition into a muslim country.

GOT LIGHT?

Hum, is it trouble what I see
Coming from a friendly spat?
Was it the darned light, too dim
Or that a dim-bat was awfully pissed?

Anyway, being all as it may
I’m not complaining the least
Nope! The light’s finally shining
And, as one said, let there be light!

Yeah, let the bats go to their caves
From which they should never have dared
Come to frighten silly all of us, big and small
Noticing where this poor world of ours is heading

Directly to bloody hell—indeed, if not a far, far more scary and god-awful eerie place
Yep! To BS, BS, & BLT, land of Boots Shining, Backs Stiff, & Blind Leaders Totally
Who believe that, only they, via God’s expressed grace and supreme design can wisely lead
Those who’ve already walked the arduous path put at their feet and, today, can see blindfolded…

Keep on relying on your good vision, Mr. Kerry. The world needs someone who dares to see, far and broad, if a better tomorrow for our children is what we are trying to achieve. Indeed, not only to help them sleep under a bit more peaceful skies as soon as come and eagerly awaited November, but by assuring them that we wouldn’t let our guard down during our entire watch.

We, all of we, are looking for a beacon that will guide the world to a safe port and our lighthouses are beaming their lights towards your ship trying to help you during your upcoming, arduous journey. May God’s speed be with you, and the sweet winds of change be gentle to you and those who fear not fear itself, but living in the scary darkness in which all of us are immersed today—due not to defeatist notions, but to the self-inflicted blindness of some world leaders whose only claim to fame is prepotency acquired via the mishandling of their might.

Yes, we know that the “job is tough”, the standing today rather low President reminded us all, many, many times for this to be forgotten. But the leader of the world has to know that THAT is what he’s assuming when deciding to run for President—and tough jobs, and restless days, and sleepless nights, are a given not only for them but also for those they might be forced one sorrowful day to send to man the sentries. The problem is that, this latest time, it appears that there was no time spent in pondering the “sorrowful” one bit, and the sentries have been left without a bulb (if even dim) on which to rely to be able to see what’s lurking in the darkness…

Ay! Let there be light—once and for all! And, once accomplished, bring safe our troops home as soon as we may be able to do so without creating more undue chaos, something many souls know you already think about—regardless of the implied tough job that facing this difficult quandary poses for all concerned.

Quídam - 10/3/04

Amen, brother!

It's Edward's serve, and if he aces Dirty Mouth Dick, Kerry will enter Friday's debate the clear choice. That alone may drive Little Georgie into a career ending temper tantrum. He is one slip away.