Let me start by saying thank you to everyone for jumping in on this one. After seeing Jorge & Littleb's posts, I thought that I was going to have to jump into one of my lengthy tirades.

Since everyone has gotten my back....a few thoughts.

1. Arnold may have an annoying accent, but he is definitely a good speaker. He has a great stage presence and delivery. He just picked up a few points in my book.

2. Listed to Bush speak on Rush today. I don't listen to Rush usually (too extreme for me), but Drudge announced that Bush would be coming on his show. I will have to admit something. Having been one to question Bush's intelligence in the past (earlier posts included), I think that I have a new opinion of him. I think that his problem is not necessarily his intelligence level. I think that his problem is his ability as a public speaker. When he gets on a complicated topic, he nails the topic very well. It's the formulation of smooth soundbyte-worthy dialog that escapes him. In this new light, I can give him a little more credit than I have previously been willing to allow.

3. 2X6 - I am with you on your comments about the sentiment out there some have concerning fears of future attacks. A few times recently, I have seen people downplay discussions of future attacks. I truly believe that some people still don't get it. The events of 9/11 don't seem to have left enough of an impression on them to truly understand that they ARE coming....they want us DEAD...they're is no negotiating with them....no matter who is President, they are still going to do whatever they can to inflict mass damage on our nation and our people.

Yesterday at work I was having a discussion with a coworker about the election, etc. By the end, he kept trying to convince me that what we are dealing with now is no different than the Nazis, Communism, and Vietnam. I couldn't seem to get through to him that there is a HUGE difference. This battle is a religious one. Our enemy doesn't want to beat us on the battlefield.....they want to erase us from the planet. There are no rules of war for them.....there are no rules at all. No one is safe. So, we either sit back and wait for the next massive attack or we stay on the offensive and do whatever possible to deter or at least delay those attacks.

In the end, I just don't get it. When I read my dialog above, it makes me think of that scene from the Terminator when he's trying to get her to understand the Terminator and what she's up against. I should chuckle about that, but the reality is that it give me heartburn, because it's a perfect analogy for what we are now facing.

Well, I could go on and on, but I must attempt to get some sleep before the next baby meltdown.