A friend of mine sent this to me today. These are his words. They're worth sharing. And by the way, Loren's a helluva writer. Go hit the bookstores and look for his novels. If you like adventure, he's your ticket.
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Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for my president.

The one I voted for in 2000, and waited through endless days of CNN to see
if he would prevail. I was really rooting for him then.

The one who promised he was a uniter, not a divider. I think this country
could really use him about now.

You remember him? The same guy who promised to reach across the aisle, as he
had done in Texas? The one who hinted at a strong bipartisan cabinet (though
that's as far as THAT went).

The same one who then brought us Karl Rove, and John Ashcroft. And while
we're at it, the one who helped ruin Colin Powell for me as a leader I
respected. Colin, what the hell are you still doing in there?

I'm looking for my president.

Nice guy. Very personable. Couldn't talk his way out of a paper bag, but
hey, I wasn't holding that against him.

Until he talked us out of some long-time alliances with Germany and France.

Yeah, there were some national interests on the other side for slowing
things down. Talk to Haliburton, though, on the benfits of speeding things
up.

I'm looking for my president who promised that we would lead a "coalition"
into Iraq, and then only as a final resort.

Do I think the world is safer, in general, with Saddam gone? Absolutely.

Do I think we should have finished the job in Afghanistan first? Absolutely.

Do I think that president I voted for could have handled this entire war
better?

Well, I'm willing to put this entire election into the hands of the families
of the over-1100 US Armed Forces men and women who have now died in this
war. They should be proud of their sons and daughters, who
served--selflessly--this country. But are they still proud of the man who
refuses to admit he might have made a mistake?

And I know we can't put this election into the hands of the estimated
over-100,000 CIVILIANS who have been killed in this war or as a direct
result of the escalating civil violence. But I think they deserve better
than an 'oops.'

I'm looking for my president. The one who talked about "imminent threats"
and "weapons of mass destruction" LONG before he mentioned "regime change."

Maybe I'll thank him for answering a long-held question. As a writer, I
always did wonder what Vietnam looked like.

And maybe the environmental protection laws were too tough.

And we should have another's religious or morale beliefs enforced upon us.

And the big corporations do deserve some huge breaks.

Cause it is all the trial lawyers fault.

Maybe.

I'm looking for my president.

He was the fifth Republican president I voted for in an unbroken string
since Reagan.

Now he's the one who all but planted a Democratic sign in my yard, at least
for this election, and has made me reevaluate my political leanings.

Colin, what the hell am -I- still doing in here?

I'm looking for my president.

________________
Loren Coleman



Thanks, Loren.

Joseph Haines, signing off from The Edge of the Abyss.