A great opportunity was lost on Nov 2.

To his credit, John Kerry showed up to contest the presidential election. America even showed up on the day. So how come both lost?

It's hard to explain, but there may be some broad themes to consider.


Karl Rove. Diebold. Federal disaster relief. Hey, let's throw in big money and leave the rest to conspiracy theorists.

What did disappoint more than anything else was the lack of offense on the part of the challenger. You need more than a good defense

to take down an incumbent U.S. president in war time.

Kerry did not manage to communicate a convincing vision of where he wanted to take America, beyond 'delivering' for the left. It's certainly

true that the prospect of 'responsable and reasonable' government it not half as exciting as that of kicking ass around the world in mirrored

sunglasses for another four years while shouting louder than everyone else, but in these troubled times it should have been made to count.

There are plenty of precedents to cite for extoling the virtues of stable and judicious government, with the Clinton years not being too far

away in the popular mind. And without a convincing vision in the mind of the challenger, offense is always going to be difficult.


But the times apparently do not favor wise and weighted words and decisions, and the Bush machine has skillfully made the most of the

situation. In particular, the use of terror to influence the voter was not neglected. Bin Laden's cameo didn't help there either, and once

again it's pointless waiting for the director's cut!

Going by the actual chances of getting caught up in a terrorist event, the terror factor has run way beyond its reasonable lifetime.

It is tempting to conclude that other less specific threats, closer to home, are being 'exteriorised' into the terror threat. Moms are

evidently having a rough time competing with the Internet?


If there is one thing to take out of this election season, it is this question: Why is America so afraid?