On Polls, Presidents and Passions

I have never been a big fan of polls. Polls are a mechanism used by politicians to cater to the majority and used by the media to influence the mindless. "Polls show 32% of American's agree with the President's handeling of the War on Terror...down sharply from 80% a year ago." Well folks, let me tell you something...being a President and a leader is not a popularity contest! I did not vote for the president based on how well he caters to the majority regardless if I am a part of it or not. Like many others, I voted for him because he is a man of passion, character and most important of all, a man of steadfastness. I do not lead Marines in the hopes that they will be my friends. I lead with one aim in mind...to keep them alive! Our president's leadership is not based on polls, but rather conviction. I think that I speak accuratly is saying that the president is as concerned with his approval ratings in the polls about as much as he is concerned with what he will have for supper. And for that, I am thankful. Say what you will about the man, but to say that he is whimiscal is absurd.

America, if you don't agree with the predsident's handeling of the war on terror, that is your right that I am fighting to defend. But ask yourselves this: What are you doing to help the situation other than shaking your collective heads at the television set, convinced by the latest poll numbers that we are off the mark? I would rather that we have thousands of informed citizens peacefully demonstrating on the lawns of the White House protesting the war, than a country full of mindless zombies sitting in their lazy-boys being fed their daily dose of opinion from the talking head. Get up, get out and get informed and if in the end, you still feel that we are off the mark and following a whimiscal leader, better luck to you in '08. One last thing...be thankful that you have the liberty to have any personal opinion at all. I see people everyday who do not understand what that's like.

Pat Buchannan summed up nicely the schism that is present between the president and other political "leaders" in his piece Bush Raises and Calls on Chris Matthew's blog. And if you've never read anything that I've suggested before, please read this.