Was no one, except me, disturbed by the conniving, sneaky, way that John Edwards brought up Dick Cheney's lesbian daughterS so ingratiatingly congratulating him, on the one hand, for openly stating that people are free to choose the lifestyle they wish. But at the same time trying to make him squirm because of the President's support for an amendment to the Constitution to prohibit same sex marriages.

To me, it exemplified why JohnEdwards should never be allowed to become Vice President, or be a heart beat away from the Presidency.  Like his partner, John Kerry, and other successful and rich lawyers, he has no scruples, and even less integrity, and will exploit any lawyerly cunning ploy that he can to gain an advantage.

His comments, dripping with fake congratulatory sentiments, while attempting to appeal and make a point to the gay community that this is just another example of the double dealing of the current administration, left me feeling soiled just listening to them.  Dick Cheney knew that what might be considered a hot button issue for him was being exploited by John Edwards. But he also knew that the majority of the viewers would assume that it was a sincere comment!  I thought he dealt with the issue in a gentlemanly, civilized fashion, and diffused the issue without ceding anything to Sen. Edwards.  Yuk to Edwards!

I wish the media, the public, everyone, would start examining what the team of Kerry and Edwards actually say.  Basically, all they say is that the Bush Administration is wrong, and that if they were in power, just because they were in power, everything they did would be right.  Fat chance!  I can certainly understand why Dan Rather and CBS are behind them — birds of a feather flock together — empty suits all!

Give me a plain spoken man, with no pretensions, with obvious humility and integrity, a man who believes in God, ergo, who does not believe that he is God and consequently perfect, and I'll vote for him every time.  I'll vote for the Bush/Cheney team, knowing that they care about this country, and about me, and that they believe, as do I, that this country, less than perfect as it is, and this democracy, flawed as it is, are the still best possible hope for this world.  We are not the evil empire that Kerry/Edwards would proclaim us, and I will vote for hope and faith in my fellow countryman and woman, rather than the "blame the US first" crowd, every time.

Patricia Nestlebush   10 06 04

PS to George Bush — take the gloves off, George, we need you — our safety depends on you — don't let us down!