Orangemen Support Bush

                       What does that  say about Bush?

 News Letter ( Belfast) Thursday 7th October 2004
Editorial
Readers Want Bush To Stay At Oval Office
Wednesday 6th October 2004

The readers of the News Letter have made a clear and unambiguous choice about who they would like to see in the White House after next month's Presidential election.

Ninety-four per cent of those who telephoned our Have Your Say Poll supported George Bush as the man they would like to see back in power.

The remaining six per cent thought the Democratic candidate John Kerry would make a better President.

When it comes to selecting who should have the big jobs, our readers have very strong views.

An overwhelming 83 per cent backed the Chancellor Gordon Brown against the Prime Minister Tony Blair in a poll last week.

Who wins the battle of wills between Blair and Brown will not be known for some time.

That contest will have a bigger effect on life in Northern Ireland but our politicians are nonetheless very interested to see which administration they will have to deal with across the Atlantic.

As far as the United States goes, the people who telephoned our poll do not want a change in the hot seat and they would like to see President Bush return to the Oval Office.

Unionists have always felt more kindly disposed to the American Republican Party, particularly in recent years.

There was a sea change in attitudes to the unionist cause after the Democratic President Bill Clinton was replaced by George Bush.

Unionists feel much more comfortable these days in the corridors of power in Washington and mixing with the movers and shakers in New York.

Just last week the Ulster Unionist Party held an important fundraising event in the Big Apple.

The Presidential election is gathering pace with each day and it looks as if Kerry has regained some of the ground he lost early on.

His impressive performance in the debate against Bush in Miami may prove very useful.

It is seldom that the Vice Presidential debate has a big impact on the polls but last night's on-air contest between Republican Dick Cheney and Democrat John Edwards was expected to have an important influence on the way voters think. Cheney is regarded as an arch conservative, very close to Bush, who seldom appears on the television circuit while Edwards is a smooth talking young Democrat used to public debate.

The American public will have to wait until Friday to see how Bush and Kerry stand up to one another in St Louis in a debate which is likely to concentrate on domestic issues.

It promises to be tough and uncompromising and political commentators will be dissecting every word in the hope that they can predict the outcome of the vote on November 2.

As far as News Letter readers are concerned they have already made their decision. They would like Republican George Bush back in the White House.