We often hear from Bush supporters that they prefer the president because he is a strong, resolute leader--a "real man". By contrast, Kerry is described as a weak flip-flopper. This view is more common among men than women, and is thought to underlie the gender gap. My wife tells me this is because Bush appeals to the "male mentality." THAT is an insult to my gender. I told her that Bush is a pussy, a girly-man. She said that is an insult to HER gender. So, for the purposes of this diary, I've settled on the following terms: Bush is a wuss. Kerry is a mensch.
A wuss is a weak and ineffectual person, a dormat, a wimp. He is indecisive, and caves easily. A Mensch has fortitude and purpose. He is strong, but he considers the consequences of his actions before acting. He is a gentleman. You can count on a mensch.
I've listed a starter kit of the evidence below. Please add more. Then go out and use the evidence to convince swing voters, both male and female, to vote for Kerry.
- A wuss talks big at first, but then crumbles. Bullies are wusses. They talk big but carry tiny sticks. What kind of a president justifies a war in Iraq with hyperbolic rhetoric but then doesn't give the military the equipment and numbers they need to back him up? What kind of a president sends our brave soldiers to the hellhole that is Iraq, says "bring it on," and expects THEM to take the hits in his clusterfuck war? That's right: President Wuss. Remind me, Mr President, what is this week's reason for going to Iraq?
- A mench doesn't buy things if he can't pay. Bush bought you a war, spent your surplus, and now YOU have to pay. What was the name of that guy in Popeye cartoons who said, "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today?" That's right: WIMPY.
- A wuss gets his daddy to help him get out of being drafted, then he gets daddy to help him skip out on his service in the National Guard.
- A mensch volunteers to serve his country. In his first tour of duty, Kerry performed with honor and then re-enlisted. In his second tour of duty, he saved a fellow soldier's life, and was himself thrice wounded. When he got home, he spoke eloquently and honestly about his experience as a soldier in a clusterfuck war. That takes cojones.
- A wuss brings his vice president along with him when facing an enquiry by an independent commission.
- A mensch understands the concept of "the buck stops here." He isn't afraid to use a veto. President Wuss has signed every bill sent to him by the congress.
- All chickenhawks are wusses. And it isn't just that Bush is a chickenhawk, he surrounds himself with them.
- A mensch will listen to the opinions of other world leaders. They might end up disagreeing, but a mensch retains respect of the other guy.
- Remember the wusses on the school playground? If you disagreed with them, they called you names and then ran away while threatening, "I'm not gonna play with you any more." I bet little Georgie did that.
- Most importantly, a mensch is a thinking man, a man of reason. He considers the evidence, and then acts. He understands nuance. When the facts change, he might even change his mind. That's what Kerry does, and it is NOT the same as being a flip-flopper. Wusses don't need to be men of reason. They decide that they have decided; then they turn their brains off and start talking big. They flip-flop and lie to avoid the consequences of their decisions, and ignore any reasonable evidence that might force them to reconsider. For this type of behavior, President Wuss is unmatched among all recent presidents.