Manchild Workin' the Roots

The 37th Republican Presidential Convention was, by all odds, well-planned and executed. Senator John McCain, after losing to Governor Bush in a very bitter primary, swallowed his pride and never mentioned the issue of campaign finance reform that brought him to prominence. He also praised George Bush in glowing terms but his delivery of these words was not up to his standard.

General Colin Powell played his part when he said that he was supporting George W. Bush because he didn't reinvent himself. The candidate also said he didn't reinvent himself. Powell and Bush thus were "subtly" attacking Mr. Gore, the Democratic Presidential candidate as the Republicans and their media have been labeling Al Gore with that term for some time now.

On the issue of "reinventing himself" it should be noted that President George H. W. Bush changed his opinion on "Reaganomics" which he described as voodoo economics when he became Ronald Reagan's Vice Presidential choice.

When John McCain praised George W. Bush and when he did not mention campaign finance reform, he "reinvented" himself as it would have been embarrassing to the candidate who has different views on McCain-Feingold's bipartisan bill.

Bush himself "reinvented himself" when he denied that he went knowingly to a Catholic bashing South Carolina College (Bob Jones University). Bob Jones, the founder, is recognized as having racist views. After he was there and was severely criticized, Bush tried to squirm out of the mess he created for himself that led to an editorial in The Journal News; "Bush Backtracks on Bob Jones".

George W. Bush is following in his father's footsteps in winning the 1988 presidential election over Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis when he successfully blackened his reputation.

The issues in this campaign should be which candidate is better qualified; whose record is superior; what party can best preserve the peace and prosperity that we have had these past 8 years; and which candidate's platform is superior? The Democratic Party and Al Gore must let the American voters know that George W. Bush's tactic is not going to work in 2000 the way his father's tactic worked in 1988 against Mike Dukakis.