Congratulations President Bush!

We go about our daily business lending an earful to presidential brokering in both the National GOP and Democratic Party. There are butterflies in the bellies of some National Democratic Committee members who question whether heir apparent Vice President Al Gore has the right stuff to secure victory for the democrats.

The troops find it worrisome when the polls show that Gore trails GOP presidential hopefuls George W. Bush and Elizabeth Dole. There are speculations whether the Clinton-Lewinsky affair has rubbed against Gore’s opportunity in his bid for the top post. I’d be the first to back-off of any speculation in this regard in that you can’t fault Al for what Billy did in the past two years. But there’s something in their demeanor (Bush vs. Gore) that the American public must have measured and accepted in terms of who’s more like most of us.

Al Gore exudes the reputation of the “clean cut kid” who made the honor roll each quarter and the darling of female classmates who think of him as “harmless”. He is a neophyte when it comes down to the nitty gritty of life “after class”. He’d hurry home and eat his cookies and milk, return to his books to prepare for the next day’s class with homework complete, socks, underwear, creased pants and fully starched shirt ready in his bedroom set by a nanny. He’s the clean cut kid that average classmates don’t necessarily want to associate with. Thus, the prevailing reaction when mirrored from the current presidential brokering. The “clean cut kid” or mama’s boy, yawn!

Bush instantly flashes a smile of confidence and camaraderie even to the average American voter. He doesn’t have a pretty face like Al, but one could easily see in his eyes a man who’s earned his stripes as a public servant, well poised to take his well honed skills to the highest office in the land. He reminds me of a returning pilot who just downed enemy planes in a catfight and he’s in a hurry for some home brewed cup of coffee. It is easy to detect his ability to listen to the average citizen so he can understand their problems and concerns at levels often neglected by “clean cut kids”. It would be nice though if the National GOP could broker a combined team of Bush/Dole. It would be a team that would send Gore singing Kristofferson’s rendition of “Why me Lord?” The tsunami-like presidential sweep of the Bush/Dole tandem would send him reeling for some answers in the quiet corner of his posh hotel room and it would take several years before he could sift through the pile of confusion that rendered his presidential ambition a complete disaster. The polls said so–he’s trailing both Bush and Dole–when in fact he should be leading the preliminary verdict of the American public.

But the American public isn’t ready to allow any empire building in the White House. They’ve generously given and taken the most coveted political trophy to both parties, jealously. You may be the brightest and handsomest, but they (American public) know exactly when to roll and hold. If you don’t appeal to them from the outset, your national political career is equally doomed. For Al Gore, it’s the opportune time to prepare for his eventual retirement from public office. In the case of George W. Bush and Elizabeth Dole (assuming they wind up as tandem), I say “Hail to the Chief!” The impending presidential election is won except perhaps for all the yelling.

Friends, George W. Bush will be the next President of our Country! And may I be the first to congratulate George W. Bush as the next President of the great US of A! Congratulations!