Recycle those band-aids

President wounded in debate-NAM

Recycling is environmentally sound practice, but now, how very fitting.

Considering the administration's horrible record protecting our environment, those purple heart band-aids that made the rounds at the Republican National Convention in New York as a slam against John Kerry can now be reused.

After the first of three planned presidential debates, George Bush needs them to patch up his image. Kerry's informed, clear, concise answers to questions about Iraq and Homeland Security seriously wounded the president.

It was obvious from the expressions on the president's face that he was in pain trying to come up with rebuttals to Kerry's charges of failures in judgment. It definitely was painful to watch.

For 3 1/2 years, Bush got a free ride from the press. Even when investigations of the administration were conducted, the "Teflon" President always escaped without a scratch. Surrounded by "yes men" and shielded from dissenters by free speech zones established far from his motorcade routes or appearances, Bush was clearly unprepared for a head to head confrontation with someone challenging his decisions.

During the 90-minute debate Bush's expressions constantly shifted from pain to annoyance, anger, frustration and confusion. His answers were hesitant, stumbling and repetitive, frequently falling back on campaign sound bites.

During an uninterrupted answer, Bush suddenly blurted, "Let me finish" to no one in particular.

At another point Bush described terrorists fighting vociferously. The definition of vociferous is vehement shouting or calling out cries of protest and outrage. Perhaps that explains why he continues to paint such an unrealistically rosy picture of conditions in Iraq. Does he think our troops are only being yelled at?

The contrast between the two candidates was shocking. The subject of this first debate was supposedly George Bush’s strength. John Kerry, looking and sounding very presidential, clearly more informed, presented a plan for getting out of the quagmire in Iraq and pointed out weaknesses in Homeland Security he plans to correct.

Nine times the president mentioned the term "hard work." Making decisions is hard work, the war in Iraq is hard work, and just it's hard work in general. To paraphrase Harry Truman, "If you can't take the hard work, stay out of the White House."

If this debate was an indication of how the next two go, Mr. Bush needs to save some of those band-aids. If they gave Purple Heart medals for debates, Bush won a few, but Kerry won the first debate.

10-4-04