Joan Swirsky
Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2004

That he will wage war against those who murdered our citizens? That might be credible – because, after all, he voted for the war against Iraq.

That he will allow the American-hating socialists and dictatorships in the United Nations to decide what America should do? That might be credible – because, after all, he now says that this is the route we should have taken.

That he will not be intimidated into passivity because it might offend some Third World or socialist countries that have never wished us well? That would not be credible – because, after all, a mantra of his campaign is that the president’s fight against terrorism has "alienated our friends!"

George W. Bush, in the same dock, says that he will continue to fight the terrorists until they are vanquished, never depend on the U.N. or any other agency to decide the fate of America, and never worry about alienating our so-called friends to avoid a transitory lack of popularity or support.

Note: The judge rules inadmissible the fact that the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-il, is so delighted with the Kerry candidacy that he broadcasts the senator’s speeches on state-run Communist radio, or that dictator Jean Bertrand-Aristide, the exiled Haitian president, as well as Yasser Arafat, the virtual architect of Middle East terrorism, also support Kerry's candidacy.

When the subject of domestic issues arises, Kerry testifies that he voted for the No Child Left Behind act but changed his mind and that he supports Medicare reform but wasn't present to vote on it.

President Bush testifies that, after a decade of Democratic posturing but no action, children are now being tested and teachers held accountable and that his push for health-care reform has resulted in prescription drug benefits for seniors.

Note: The judge rules inadmissible the fact that in 2003, Sen. Kerry missed 292 Senate votes (64 percent) and in 2004 he missed nearly two dozen votes, all the while collecting his full salary, even though, the Boston Herald reported, "federal law says some of his $158,000 salary should have been withheld" because of his AWOL status in the Senate.

The judge then allows each candidate to call upon historical figures to testify, allowing for actors to fill the roles in their absence. Kerry calls upon Sen. Ted Kennedy, two soldiers who served with him in Vietnam, and a number of foreign leaders who he claims recently told him, 'You've got to win this, you've got to beat this guy, we need a new policy.'"

Kennedy praises his fellow Massachusetts liberal but suddenly blushes. “I'm embarrassed that my colleague has outdone me!” he says, explaining that, according to a recent rating from The National Journal, the votes of all 100 senators on 32 economic issues, 15 social policy issues and 15 foreign policy issues earned Sen. Kerry the title of Number One Senate Liberal in 2003, a record he also held in 1986, 1988 and 1990.

The two soldiers sing Kerry’s praises, but rebuttal witnesses like retired Army Col. Glenn Lackey are so impassioned that the judge allows their testimony. Lackey, a 27-year veteran of Vietnam, Somalia and the Gulf War, says that he never witnessed the rapes, torture and killing of civilians by American soldiers that Kerry described before Congress in 1971.

Lackey reads from a recently published letter he wrote, addressing Kerry directly: "If you witnessed atrocities and did not report them, you are guilty of aiding and abetting. If you lied, you are simply unfit for leadership at any level."

Note: The judge rules inadmissible the testimony of the foreign leaders since Kerry can cite only the new socialist president of Spain – and, of course, studiously avoids mentioning Jong-il, Aristide and Arafat. George W. Bush calls upon Rudy Giuliani, Winston Churchill and Jesus Christ.

Giuliani, in person, recounts his fight to inspire hope, strength and resolve as mayor of New York when the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history was inflicted on New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

The actor portraying Churchill recounts his fight against Hitler and the unpopularity it inspired as the entire world looked away. He reminds the court that his lonely voice – vox clamanti in deserto – was ultimately redeemed when nothing less than the judgment of history credited him with helping to save Western civilization from unimaginable tyranny.

Also portrayed by an actor, Jesus Christ reminds the court that there is both good and evil in the world and that the mission of good people – like him and his disciples – is to recognize evil and to fight relentlessly against it.

Note: The judge rules Giuliani’s testimony inadmissible because of a conflict of interest; he now runs a company involved with security for foreign nations.

The jury – composed of every eligible voter in America – is now charged with choosing the man they believe is a stronger leader and more credible, especially when it comes to saying what he thinks and doing what he says.

To me, it’s no contest. While Kerry may (or may not) be an interesting conversationalist over hors d’oeuvres and drinks at his country club – standing for this, being a devil’s advocate for that, changing his tune – he has proven himself to be a spectacularly indecisive senator, taking ambivalent positions and casting contradictory votes on just about every major domestic and foreign policy issue to come down the pike for the last 20 years.

In contrast, President Bush realizes that people like me fear another terrorist attack and want a leader who recognizes right from wrong, good from bad, virtue from evil, and will act decisively to fight our enemies. Besides, I trust a guy whose heroes are significantly loftier than Ted Kennedy, a couple of Vietnam shills and largely unnamed foreign "supporters."

But now "the jury" has to decide the question of motive.

Unfortunately, Kerry is afflicted with DIS – Democrat Indecision Syndrome – that accounts for his inability to make a stand and stick to it.

When people like Kerry try to be all things to all people, everyone – except for DNA liberals, who are inherently incapable of moving away from the far left precipice – knows that insecurity is the driving force, pandering the vehicle.

In contrast, President Bush is at peace with himself and confident in the greatness of America. His motive is to continue to fight the terrorists in our midst, to enhance education and health-care programs even further and to bolster the economic recovery the entire nation has been experiencing with further tax cuts – not for the rich but for every single tax-paying citizen!

At this point – eight months before the election – the jury is still out. By November, however, I trust it will be clear to most of our country’s intelligent electorate that while the economy and domestic issues are of great concern, terrorism remains the overriding issue of our age.

Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard said it best: "George W. Bush is a September 12th person. John Kerry is a September 10th person."

Joan Swirsky is a New-York-based journalist and author who can be reached at joansharon@aol.com.