GUEST The progressive left DID rise to the occasion! One thing neither party can be faulted for is NOT getting out the vote. It has always seemed queer to me that the progressive left appears to be under the impression that their POV ACTUALLY represents the thinking and belief of the majority in the U. S. Even after losing elections! That simply isn't true. If it were, John Kerry would be the president elect. Assuming that the progressive left owns the franchise on education and knowledge is, IMO, pure lunacy.

Kim: I rarely disagree with your postings, but describing Bush's margin of victory as small or thin simply is not the case. Bush won decisevely, both the Popular vote, AND the Electorial College.

Many Mudcatters spent the last four years proclaiming that Gore ACTUALLY won the election in 2000 because he won the popular vote. Well, George Bush just got more popular votes than any other person ever elected president of the United States, including Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. Why do you suppose that is? IMO it is because more people approve of his leadership than disapprove. The result of the election is proof of that.

I believe that the only way for the progressive left to make a real impact on American politics is to establish a third party. The Democrats, I believe, are smart enough to realize that if they are ever going to regain power, they are going to have to cut the progressive left loose to fend for itself. The Democratic Party will get tired of being used by the "lefties" who promote a philosophy that has the same chance of succeeding with the American people, as does the proverbial snowball in hell.

And Nerd: If the exit polls were jimmied for Bush, why did the early reports favor Kerry so heavily? It appeared for a few hours after the first exit polls were reported that Kerry was going to sweep the election! There have been suggestions that these early reports be investigated, perhaps even by the Congress. I doubt that will happen, but I'll bet that the pool of media networks that paid for will do so.

DougR