Are you following the results...

[Auspicious]

I actually picked the more comical crier on the second page with the spurting tears, but evidently the html code is the same and it gave me the poignant weeper from the first page instead.

Four more years?
*sigh*
Looking on the bright side, it was a close race, but thank goodness Coloradans didn't elect Pete Coors to the US Senate.

I will feel much, much better about the election if this time around GW has the good sense to make some acknowledgement of this being a close race and wanting to represent all Americans. Lip service? Yes. But I think it would be a smart thing to do.

[Rapunzel]

Four more years?
I will feel much, much better about the election if this time around GW has the good sense to make some acknowledgement of this being a close race and wanting to represent all Americans.

I find this statement odd. As the elected (and now re-elected) President of the United States Bush is already viewed as the primary representative of the nation in the executive branch of federal government. What I suspect you meant was that it would be nice if Bush started doing what Kerry has done - agreeing with all sides on all issues. Part of being a leader is making decisions and the fact is that you can't make decisions (especially the difficult ones) without disagreement. I'm glad that Bush hasn't relied on polls in order to determine what course of action he will take on important issues (unlike Clinton and Kerry have done). Your statement is loaded and implies that you want Bush to agree with all parties over various issues with clearly defined choices. In short, you are asking for an impossibility from a good leader.

As far as the race being close: It was close in the sense that some of the states that each side won were won by a narrow margin of tens of thousands and sometimes only thousands of votes. But, at the end of the day the race was not close when one looks at the popular vote and the electoral college results. I'm sure that there are many supporters of Kerry who would like to think the race was close in order to nurse a bruised ego - but the fact of the matter is that it would be fairly dishonest for Bush to say such was the case.

Jennifer

Boy, Jennifer, how helpful of you to be inside my head and help me manage my thoughts. Must be nice to have the world so figured out!

No, I meant that it would be nice if as the leader he would help lead the country in healing what has become an increasingly polarized environment. I'll bet you can find a way to blame Kerry for that too. Have at it!

[PrincessFiona]

Bush won the popular vote by what...51-49% That is a close race anyway you try and spin in. I am disappointed, but not surprised.

Be happy though, Rapunzel, the european newspapers/magazines today breathed a collective sigh of relief...you should read the headlines. They are thankful that Kerry was not elected because they felt that they would have political pressure then that they could not resist to help with Iraq. In addition (again, thank God those pesky europeans will now be out of our hair ) they are discussing pulling their troops out of Afghanistan now...

I, for one, hope that doesn't happen for the sake of the US soldiers and the people of Afghanistan. But it does illustrate that even though we ridicule these countries we need them. What will we do if they pull out? hmmmm

kris

[Rapunzel]

People, people! There's no need to get so edgy! If I misinterpreted nmh's statements then I am glad she expanded upon them.

Regarding Europe - One would hope a majority of the nations of Europe would do the right thing but we cannot and should not control their independent governments. So, it's their decision - and we can't force them to only make good ones.

Jennifer (who is glad that the U.S. didn't do what the Spaniards did in the face of a terrorist threat on a presidential election day)

People, people! There's no need to get so edgy! If I misinterpreted nmh's statements then I am glad she expanded upon them.

You know, Jennifer, you can address me directly. Why not start out assuming you might be misinterpreting someone's statements rather than being so steadfast that my opinion is odd?

[PrincessFiona]

who's edgy?



and...

Where's my prozac? Ahh, forget it..this will do ]

and where is my chocolate?

[PrincessFiona]

The election is over...let's all just....sing kumbaya and move on

[Rapunzel]

People, people! There's no need to get so edgy! If I misinterpreted nmh's statements then I am glad she expanded upon them.

You know, Jennifer, you can address me directly. Why not start out assuming you might be misinterpreting someone's statements rather than being so steadfast that my opinion is odd?

Well, I did find the opinion odd, and stated why. It is then perfectly within reason to say that you feel I misinterpreted what you said. In a debate you don't start out assuming you are misinterpreting someone's statements - you say what you think of their statements and, if you disagree, why.

As far as addressing you directly - I couldn't remember your name and I ended up typing it in a different way than I would if I remembered it. I just typed - and I was typing to more than one person. If you want to take offense at that - I can't control your choice to do so. But I will clarify that no offense was intended. Of course, I do have to add since you brought it up, you were not starting out by assuming you *might* be misinterpreting my statement based upon my choice of words.

Jennifer

[Rapunzel]

The election is over...let's all just....sing kumbaya and move on

In total agreement.

I noticed that Headline News is back to business as usual (ie no electoral vote ticker underneath and endless analysts yakking....).

Jennifer

[PrincessFiona]

I sort of miss the conspiracy theories of 2000. What will I complain about now? Hmmm...I'm sure I'll find something.

[Rapunzel]

I'm sure you'll find SOMETHING to talk about.

Jennifer

My name is at the bottom of each post. Maybe that will help.

Here:

"A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation," he said in a victory speech in Washington. "When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."

That's the sort of thing I think he should have said. And he did. I don't recall anything like that in 2000 and I thought that was a mistake on his part. A good leader shouldn't try to please everyone all the time -- impossible. But a good leader does try to build consensus and provide direction.