Best Friend-in-Chief?

Reliable polling reports are now coming in after Thursday's debate between a cool, calm, collected Senator Kerry and a seemingly disturbed President Bush. Results are encouraging. In most categories, Kerry won by a landslide.

Who won? John Kerry, 54% to 15%
More knowledgeable? John Kerry, 42% to 29%
Strongest display of character and personality? John Kerry, 40% to 33%
Better at getting his point across? John Kerry, 49% to 23%
Responded best under pressure? John Kerry, 54% to 16%
Who seemed more 'presidential'? John Kerry, 40% to 38%

And finally...

Who was more likable? George Bush, 39% to 38%

My statement that the results are encouraging is perhaps an overstatement. In most categories, the results are encouraging, but in the most important category, who is more likeable, Senator Kerry failed. Why is it so important? Because Americans seem more interested in voting for a Best Friend rather than a Commander-in-Chief.

A relentless campaign to portray Kerry as a sissy Frenchman who can't decide between brie and camembert has come under little scrutiny in the mainstream media but it has worked wonders on the voters. Apparently, only the French and John Kerry understand that there might be more than one way to skin a cat and there might be more than one way to "win" the "war" on "terror" but the damage has been done. Senator Kerry is a spineless 'girlie-man' while President Bush is a straight-talkin', shoot from the hip kinda guy.

Why vote for a knowledgeable career politician who understands international politics and that the war on terror requires a nuanced understanding of the world when you can vote for a folksy, down home, aww-shucks everyman who sees the world in uncomplicated black and white?

I think that it is that last category that is the most important for voters, so let's just hope Sen. Kerry can do something about that in the next month.