T.S. has convinced me. Kerry's our man.
Reader comment on item: 9/10 vs. 9/12 on 11/2

Submitted by Simon (United States), Oct 27, 2004 at 16:42

Very good comments, T.S.

Yes, perception is everything. Though I think Bush believes he is a champion of freedom--and true economic freedom might lead to more peaceful times--his decisions have made America appear to be a bully, not a defender. On the other hand, electing Kerry will send a message to the rest of the world that Americans are not all bullies and that we do not approve Bush's ignore-the-rest-of-the-world tactics.

That perception alone may improve our image in the world, including in the Islamic countries.

Of course it is important for us to finish what we started in Iraq. Yet Kerry promises to do so as quickly as possible. And he seems to have the background to grasp complex issues such as international diplomacy.

Another side of the perception issue is interesting, too. Bush's simply-stated "us vs. evil" theme is a time-tested way to get Americans to trust. Advertisers are taught that consistency is key to having consumers trust your product. So I'm sure Bush spin doctors have suggested the KISS approach. But I, for one, don't want my country's political decisions over-simplified. And I don't want my president to look like a fool because of it!

I will vote for intelligence on November 2.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.