Mark,

Can't you wait until the first debate as over? I want Kerry to be toast as much as anyone here, but there's still a whole month to go. That's a whole month for Bush to screw up royally, a whole month for the Dems and their willing allies in most of the press to spread their lies (e.g., about Bush reinstating the draft), and a whole month for Kerry to become an effective candidate (I know: it's about as likely as the moon falling out of the sky and hitting the Golden Gate bridge, but still not impossible). We shouldn't count our chickens before they're hatched.
Publius | Homepage | 09.30.04 - 2:58 pm | #

I like sticking my neck out. Like I say, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong.

But I'm not wrong.
Mark Shea | Homepage | 09.30.04 - 3:04 pm | #

Is he French Toast?

I agree that while we should be pleased at the way things are going -- while being interviewed by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America Wednesday Kerry explained his his statement that he had voted for money for the war in Iraq before voting against it by saying he had been inarticulate because it was late in the evening and he was dead tired although, in fact, he made the remark in the afternoon -- we should not be overconfident. When the dispute over who won Florida in the 2000 election developed many people spontaneously began to pray that Bush would be elected. Then Bowie Kuhn issue a statement declaring it to be a "Lepanto Moment" and calling for prayer like that which helped bring about the victory at Lepanto. http://www.cin.org/archives/cinc...00011/ 0189.html

It occurred to me then that if more people had been praying more before the election the Florida problem might not have happened and the victory might have been more clearcut. In other words, Pray now TO avoid the rush.
Marty Helgesen | 09.30.04 - 3:28 pm | #

Yeah, join the on-going 54 day rosary novena.
chris K | 09.30.04 - 3:39 pm | #

That was a powerful piece by Mr. Forbes, and generally persuasive as well.
Stephen Hopkins | 09.30.04 - 3:44 pm | #

Much can happen between now and the election, so calling Kerry toast--which I hope happens--could be premature.

I heard a good description of Kerry today: "he lacks Al Gore's charm."
dpt | 09.30.04 - 6:09 pm | #

A "dandy fisk" indeed
Margo Brown | 09.30.04 - 6:10 pm | #

I'm with Mark - Kerry's toast - burnt.
And it does affect us down here.

BTW there are 15,000 US citizens eligible to vote, resident in NZ. On a phone in poll on talk-back radio late last week, Bush was ahead by I think, 45% - 55% of respondents. Hope its a landslide.
Don(Kiwi) | 09.30.04 - 7:37 pm | #

Its now 8:17pm... and think Kerry is alot less toast now than he was two hours ago.
dan gem | 09.30.04 - 11:23 pm | #

It is now 12:35 am. Kerry again is toast.
anon | 10.01.04 - 1:34 am | #

1 outa 3.
Did hear a little of the debate on radio - must admit Kerry speaks well - didn't hear enough to find out whether he speaks sense, tho'
Don(Kiwi) | 10.01.04 - 2:04 am | #

I do think the fallout over W's fumbin and stumblin will subside, and reasonable in betweeners will realize, in hindsight, that W at his weakest (which, I hope, is what he was tonite) is better, far better than Kerry at his most composed...bottom line is W failed more in that he didnt nail Kerry on numerous occasions when he had the chance, than in his lack of confidence and articulation. Kerry was so wide open so many times! W forgot who was President. Fortunately, Kerry may have seemed presidential on a surface level, but I think that will fade; his continued double speak was ever present, and I trust (and hope) will be the lingering legacy of his night.
Having said - he won round 1, and I dont see W kicking rear on the environment. If the election turns on the debate performances, its folly to declare Kerry as toast. I hope it doesnt so turn.
dan gem | 10.01.04 - 2:20 am | #

Did hear a little of the debate on radio - must admit Kerry speaks well - didn't hear enough to find out whether he speaks sense, tho'

He doesn't. It's just that Bush is really isn't very good at public speaking.

Of course it will take time to tell for sure, but I don't think Kerry gain much ground, if any ground at all. I don't think he's definite toast, but I've been saying he's not definite toast all along.
Publius | Homepage | 10.01.04 - 2:20 am | #

If in order to obliterate "evil" it proves necessary to obliterate a whole society -- so be it. A divinity seen as willing the savage murder of an only son as a way of defeating evil is a divinity that blesses an America that destroys Iraq to save it.

So is he saying now that God wants us to destroy Iraq and Kerry's the man to do it? I mean, he did say Kerry was a devout Catholic.
Eileen | 10.04.04 - 12:35 am | #