Still, we see great promise in Kerry's candidacy. The Democrat has been at his most eloquent in explaining how the president has failed the American people, and we believe he is well-suited to put the nation back on track.
Kerry has expressed an understanding of the need to stay the course in Iraq while re-establishing the support of allies we have alienated. His commitment to fighting terrorism is no less sincere than Bush's, and we have much more confidence in his ability to stem the tide of anti-Americanism feeding those attacks. Likewise, Kerry's pledge to repeal Bush's top-bracket tax cut is a strong step toward renewed fiscal responsibility, and his ambitious health-care proposal is an innovative approach to one of this nation's most shameful problems.
We have come to trust Kerry on many of the issues we consider most important. We trust him to appoint fair and reasonable Supreme Court justices, to maintain a woman's right to choose and to protect our civil liberties. And we trust that he will see homeland security as a means of making us safer, not a political wedge issue.
Most of all, we strongly endorse John Kerry because we believe he has the ability to do what Bush has not: ask questions, build coalitions and consider different perspectives. Much has been made of the fact that whoever wins next Tuesday, a Yalie will occupy the Oval Office. Yet we see stark differences in how Bush and Kerry live up to the ideals of their alma mater. Yale prides itself on rewarding intellectual curiosity and fostering open debate. And though the White House is not a seminar room, we value a president's willingness to think critically about his beliefs and subject his proposals to scrutiny.
In Bush, we see a president who has been constrained by stubbornly refusing to admit his mistakes or entertain alternative ideas. But in these uncertain times, we need a president with the ability to be both strong and open-minded -- a president like John Kerry.
For the most part, this appears to be an endorsement on Kerry's merits, and not a running away from Mr. Bush's obvious defects. That's very good.
Now, for those lyric posting maniacs in the bunch, a treat:
"Boola Boola"
Words and music by Alan Hirsch, 1901
Boola boola, boola boola
Boola boola, boola boola
When we rough house poor old hahvahd
They will holler, "Boola boo"
Oh Yale, Eli Yale! Oh Yale, Eli Yale!
Oh Yale, Eli Yale! Oh Yale, Eli Yale!
