One thing I know, from talking to friends who are non-commited to either Bush or Kerry.  Most of them do not want to vote for Kerry but the are unconvinced by Bush and Cheney as to why we went into Iraq.  They are looking for justification but are getting none.

I think Bush needs to come out and say despite not finding WMDs in Iraq not finding direct links to Al Quida,  we needed to center our attention there in order to draw out and kill those supporters of Osama once we ran them out of Afganistan. He needs to say that the potential for terrorist activities in Iraq was high enough to justify action.

He needs to say that his policies of fighting them there has kept us safe at home as evidenced by the fact that we have uncovered a number of terrorists plots but have had no further attacks in the US.  

He and Cheney need to be forthright about his policies, instead of simpy sitting back with indignant looks on their faces and calling Kerry a flip flop.

I think, having spoken with these undecided voter, Bush is in trouble unless he strongly defends his move into Iraq. He has not done that and the Dems are raising lots of doubts about his abilities.

I do think that Bush is slipping a litte in the polls.  Rasmussen (who is a Republican pollster) has Bush slipping about  1/4 points a day.  He shows Bush at 47.2% next to Kerry who has 46.9%.  I do believe this a national poll which is useless but Kerry has been closing the gap since last Thursday.  That being said......

Bush has a real opportunity Friday.  Bush is best when he is around people and he can interact with them.  This conects with people.  If Bush show's up prepared tomorrow he should walk away the winner and reverse this weeks trend.  

You also need to keep in mind that there WILL BE a substantial suprise in the next couple of weeks.  I think that Rove and company are waiting for the debates to end and at that point will drop a bombshell of Kerry, or Israel will punch some holes into the Iranian landscape or both will happen.

I'm not really concerned about Bush right now, but if he fails to deliver in the next two debates I will start to worry.

Quoted: One thing I know, from talking to friends who are non-commited to either Bush or Kerry.  Most of them do not want to vote for Kerry but the are unconvinced by Bush and Cheney as to why we went into Iraq.  They are looking for justification but are getting none.

I'm sorry, but your friends are idiots. If they haven't figured out why we went to Iraq by now, they never will. Bush and Cheney have given their reasons until they are blue in the face.

Iraq had WMD. Proven fact. They gassed Iranians and Kurds by the thousands, and acted in direct violation of all the wonderful UN resolutions intended to deprive them of those weapons.

If they didn't have them, why did the UN pass the resolutions? If they didn't have them, why did they act as if they did? If they didn't have them, why did they boast that they were going to have them?

The question that should be asked right now is not "Di they have them?" but rather "WTF are they?"

Iraq was an active supporter of terrorism. Proven fact. They bragged about giving each Palestinian homicide bomber's family $25,000. They applauded they 9/11 attacks. They had terrorist training bases in Iraq.

Iraq was a regional and international threat. Proven fact. They invaded Iran. They invaded Kuwait. They bombed Israel. They threatened the Persian Gulf. They threatened Saudi Arabia. They almost sank USS STARK. The consistently fired upon our aircraft patrolling the no-fly zones. They planned an assassination attempt on George H. W. Bush.

So, here we have a nation that has been and is a direct threat, with a history of using WMD against neighbors and civilians, who brags about supporting terrorism, and sits astride the world's oil supply, and your friends can't figure out why we invaded?

Oh, and throw in the effect a DEMOCRACY in the middle of the MIDDLE EAST will have on the region, just as a bonus.

Tell your friends to stop watching sitcoms and to pay attention to what's going on in the world.

Sorry, but this sh!t is REALLY beginning to piss me off. "Why did we go to Iraq?" PLEASE!

Rasmussen is currently stating Bush at 240 and Kerry at 169. This places Bush at his highest number of Electoral votes yet!

Rasmussen Electoral College Projections

Let not your hearts be troubled...but don't get dumb, fat, and happy either.