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<P>You're right that a win is a win. However, a win is not a mandate, and that is what Bush is claiming. And while he says he wants to unify the country, he consistently behaves as if he won a sweeping victory, not a squeaker. He did that the first go-round, and I expect more of the same. </P>
<P>Last Saturday's papers reported that Bush claimed that his re-election meant that his administration did not have to explain how the war in Iraq had been handled, since by re-electing him the country had endorsed his handling of the war. It's not a shocker that he would take such a position.</P>
<P>What I found interesting was that he also said that he wasn't going to pursue a constitutional ban on gay marriage at this time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about that, and he may change his mind. But I can't forget the torrent of articles and analyses that told us after the election that he won on 'values,' and because he was able to get people to vote for him because he was against things like abortion and gay marriage. I thought I read that people who didn't necessarily agree with him on the war voted for him because of 'values.'</P>
<P>So if he were going to claim a ' mandate' for anything, I would have expected it to be on the 'values' issues, not on the war. That W, always full of surprises.</P>
<P>Sunil Ramalingam<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: "Dan Carscallen" <predator75@moscow.com>
<DIV></DIV>>To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Mandate shmandate
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 13:51:06 -0800
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Look at it another way, Carl. I don't remember what the score was at
<DIV></DIV>>the last superbowl, But I know the Patriots won. Nor do I remember the
<DIV></DIV>>scores of any of the games of the world series, but I do know the Red
<DIV></DIV>>Sox won.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>And I don't remember how many votes George Washington got when he was
<DIV></DIV>>elected to his second term. Heck, who ran against him?
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<DIV></DIV>>A win is a win.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>DC
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