Who Won
George W. Bush and Dick Cheney
Everyone knows who won the election, but not everyone understands how big the win is concerning the impact that they can now have on the future of America. Their victory is huge, and Bush’s second term will be far more dynamic than his first. He does have a mandate now and will use it.
The Republican Party
The victory here is also a big one and will translate into a major solidifying of the base from which future victories will come, not just nationally but on every level of government. Expect a Republican to be in the White House for another two terms after the Bush Administration. Also, expect them to use their power advantages in the Senate and House in a way that will attract many more of the best and brightest to the Republican Party.
John Edwards
He may have lost the election for Vice President, but he set himself up well to run for the top of the ticket in four years. He is a likeable guy with an engaging personality and is perceived to have run a positive campaign. He did not, but he has the kind of temperament that makes you feel like he is being positive when he is not. He was also just vague enough on issues to be able to re-invent himself in the ways in which he would need to get nominated, much less elected, and he is a good enough politician to do it.
Hillary Clinton
She is likely to be a strong contender for the Democratic Party nomination in four years.
Freshman Senator Barack Obama
Not to be confused with Osama, he is the brightest rising star in the Democratic Party, and will likely be a force in American politics for many years if he conducts himself with the wisdom that he seems to have. He may not be at the top of the ticket in four years, but whoever is nominated by the Democrats is likely to want him on the ticket. He is presidential material, and if he does not make the mistake of impatience, he will be very seasoned and well connected by the time the Democrats have a serious chance to reclaim the White House.
Fox News
The “fair and balanced” conservative leaning team was far more in touch with the heartbeat of America, and they solidified and increased Fox News’ now substantial dominance over television news. Fox also seemed to be the only network to have the courage to call the states and the election when it needed to be called. The other networks seemed so frozen by the fear of making a mistake that they produced the most boring election coverage in history. Fox was more conservative also, but in a much more “fair and balanced” way.
The American People
America is not just safer with Bush as President, it is much safer. Though the media in general has avoided seeing it, it is a remarkable achievement that America has not suffered another major terrorist attack since 9/11. Bush is right that the best defense is a good offense, and he has not only done serious damage to the most powerful terrorist organizations around the world, he has kept the frontlines of this war far from our shores. Also, Bush’s agenda for healthcare are not only that changes are needed, but they are the most desperately needed changes now. The rest of his domestic agenda may also fall short of what many would like, but they represent attainable and needed changes that can lay a foundation for further reform. You cannot turn this giant ship like you can a speedboat, but he will soon start turning in the right direction.
The People of the Middle East
The people of the Middle East have a choice of either having America or China as the dominant force in the area. They are much better off with America.
The U.S. Military
Our present enemy is a very real threat to our existence as a nation and is not as clearly defined as other enemies we have ever fought—nor is the battlefield. The victories achieved are not as clearly defined and are therefore not even seen by many, much less understood. However, the victories in the War on Terror are some of the most remarkable military victories in history. Tommy Franks may well have been the best general to ever wear an American uniform.
The Soviets fought in Afghanistan with one of the most powerful and modern armies on earth, but against one of the most primitive. After two decades and tens of thousands of casualties, they finally gave up the fight, declaring that it was a war that could not be won. The U.S. led coalition went in and decisively won the war in just a couple of months! It was done at such a low cost in men and materials that it bordered on the miraculous. Yet the media, in what has to be one of the most ridiculous, outrageous positions ever taken by them, actually chided our generals and the administration because a few American lives were lost! This was done while the ruins of the World Trade Center were still being cleaned up!
Likewise, the victory over Saddam’s forces in Iraq was accomplished with a force only a fraction of the size used in the first Gulf War, faced a far more complex situation, and was accomplished with brilliance in planning and execution that even exceeded the war in Afghanistan. The present, continuing, conflict in Iraq also has the chance of being one of the most brilliant military strategies in this most unorthodox war. It has drawn many of the extreme enemies of America into a battlefield far from America—one in which they are being surrounded and eliminated.
We may not understand it or like it, but the training and baptism in fire that our military is now getting in Iraq will be very helpful for the conflict that still lies ahead of us. Either fear or freedom is going to prevail in the world and this war will help decide which it is going to be. It is very far from being over. There can be a big difference between a soldier and a warrior. A few true warriors can do the job of many soldiers. The warriors who are needed for this war are now being found and trained in the only way a true warrior can, war. This is necessary for America and the world if freedom is going to prevail.
The way the media has continually jumped on the incredibly small mistakes made by our military is akin to a man who lives next door to a mass murderer on one side and decides to start a campaign to remove the neighbor on the other side who forgot to cut his grass one week. If there was a word that comes after “bazaar” or “insane,” it would apply to the way our military has been covered by most of the media.
Our True Allies
According to the media, the Australian Prime Minister John Howard was not even considered to have a chance for re-election because of his friendship with Bush and for leading Australia into the coalition in the war in Iraq. John Howard won re-election by an astonishing landslide of support, again proving just how far out of touch the general media has become. Other world leaders who have sided with Bush are also proving to be far more popular with their people than the media has wanted us to believe. Americans need to learn not to believe the European media either. It is even more out of touch than the American liberal media.
Our Insincere “Friends”
Even the nations that have proven not to be true friends will benefit from the safer world that the Bush Administration is providing.
Christians
After hardly showing up for the 2000 election, Christians began to mobilize for this one and were unquestionably the difference. If Christians continue to mobilize politically, the future course of the nation will continue to move in the right direction. This does not mean it is on course yet, but it is at least turning toward it.
It was said often that this was the most important election in our lifetime. Every election from now on will be. The times will become increasingly serious that way.
Who Lost
John Kerry
This is obvious, but it is how he lost that may hurt him for the rest of his life. He ran a hard race, but when the emotion of this election has subsided, the methods that he used will likely permanently damage any future influence he could have had in American politics. Debate on policy, strategy, and even tactics during war are an acceptable American tradition, but he crossed the line in his attacks in a way that gave courage to our enemies and discouragement to the troops, who are on the frontline in a war that is truly for the survival of not only America, but civilization itself.
For the troops to have voted against Kerry by a five to one margin says it well. Like his betrayal of not only those whom he fought with in Vietnam, but his country as well in the way he behaved after that war, the way he behaved in this campaign should be examined. This is not an attempt to kick someone who is down or to agitate wounds, but this kind of behavior should not be acceptable in anyone who would have major influence in America, much less sit in the highest office in the land. We do need to examine how someone like him ever received the nomination of a major party, much less become so close to winning while we are at war.
The Democratic Party
Not only did the Democrats fail to seize the White House, but they lost ground in the Senate, House, and in offices across the country. If they had not had the continuous bad news from Iraq to pin on Bush, it is likely that this election would have been one of the biggest landslides in history. The morality issues in this campaign, which were on the ballots in so many states, reveal clearly that the Democratic Party is out of touch with mainstream America at this time. If the heart of the Democratic Party moves out of the Northeast and into the Midwest, they can have a comeback. If they do not, they will not.
The Terrorists
Bush is their worst enemy and they know it.
Rogue Nations Seeking Nuclear Arms
Bush has the courage to fight wars that will not be popular, but are essential and he has the resolve to win. We may not know it until eternity, but Bush’s presidency is giving the world more time.
The Liberal “Elite” News Media
We need to distinguish the liberal “elite” from the liberal leaning media. There is a difference. The liberal elite has the elitist attitude so that they consider anyone who does not share their views to be either ignorant or stupid. This cannot help but to come across in their general demeanor and is an increasing turnoff to the public, which is much smarter than they give them credit for being. With 80 percent of the media being liberal, and 75 percent of the coverage being either pro-Kerry, and/or anti-Bush, it is obvious that not many are listening to them anymore.
CBS News
CBS news, possibly the most liberal news network, and the most shamelessly biased, has been dying for years. It does seem that in this election, it finally committed suicide, and a very sloppy one.
First, CBS used the blatantly spurious National Guard documents to bring serious charges against our Commander in Chief that were supposedly the memos of a dead man no less, even after having been warned that they were fakes. Then, maybe even more shocking than the National Guard document debacle, it became known that CBS was waiting until the Sunday before the election to release the report about the explosives that were supposedly not secured by advancing U.S. troops in the Iraqi War.
The timing of the release of this report in this way, (which it appears was in cahoots with the New York Times, and the U.N.) would not give Bush the time to answer the charges (which were easily done), thereby causing the maximum damage to his campaign at the most critical time. This plot was foiled when it was leaked, forcing them to come out with their stories, which again probably ended up doing more damage to the Kerry campaign, further exposing the liberal media’s devious methods and deceitful reporting.
Even the rest of the liberal media, to their credit, jumped on CBS’ shameless violation of basic integrity in journalism. CBS promised to fully investigate the National Guard document incident, and that within weeks heads would roll. That did not happen, and it does not even seem that anyone got rebuked. They obviously are not going to be the honorable Samurai and fall on their own sword, but will force the country to execute them, which will happen. This is a tragedy. I used to love “60 Minutes,” but I do not think I could ever trust them again.
The United Nations
The U.N.’s blatant and shameless attempts to influence the U.S. elections in favor of Kerry will not go down well with Americans. After their own exposure for the biggest corruption in history in the Iraqi “Food for Oil” program (which the media has been amazingly quiet about), their collusion to release the false information about the explosives being lost to influence the election was an illumination of the U.N.’s agenda and methods. This will likely result in being so devastating that we can expect the U.N. to cease being a major political force for years to come, probably being reduced to a large aid agency. This is a tragedy for the world in some ways, but with the direction that the U.N. has taken in recent years, this is definitely a good thing for America.
The Exit Polls
For the last three elections (2000, 2002, and 2004) the exit polls have proven to be wrong. Why do we keep paying attention to them? Their methods are apparently flawed, but so is their obvious bias. Why is it that they seem to always favor the Democratic candidate in any tight race even though this has consistently been where they failed? Could it be that this is a brazen attempt to influence the states where the polls are still open? Regardless, it has only served to further erode media credibility.
These are my personal evaluations of some of the important issues that this election illuminated. They are general and superficial. Because it is crucial for us to understand our times if we are going to be a light in them, a much more in-depth study of these issues and more will be provided later. We have much to be thankful for in our country—that we can vote and discuss it openly is one of the most important. Let us never take that for granted, but resolve to be the best citizens we can, living by the light that we have been given, and asking for more, for ourselves, and our leaders. RJ.