Hard to Believe We All Watched the Same Debate

During the debate, Vice President Dick Cheney stated, “We have added 1.7 million jobs to the economy.” The truth is that President Bush will be the first president in 70 years to lose jobs. There will be about a million fewer jobs than when Bush took office. Cheney believes that 1.7 million jobs have been added, but millions more have been lost.

Bad math! Too bad Cheney doesn’t support education either.

Susan Gilliland

Pasadena

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I was shocked when Cheney said he was unaware AIDS is increasing most rapidly among African American women in the U.S. Why didn’t he know that? It suggests that he doesn’t care about what happens to women or to minorities. It also suggests that he knows little about AIDS.

John Kerry understands and cares about the problems of all Americans, not just those who are rich, Republican or male.

Nancy Alvarado

Yucaipa

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Cheney said in the debate: “The average savings from the president’s across-the-board tax cuts topped $1,500.”

In fact, households with $57,000 yearly income get a Bush/Cheney tax cut of $1,100, while households with more than $1.2 million get a tax cut of $78,500.

Using that ratio, those with $57,000 yearly income should be receiving at least a $3,700 tax cut. The lower income brackets are subsidizing the tax cuts of the higher income brackets. Something is very wrong here!

Heather Llewellyn

Los Angeles

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John Edwards has no vision for the next four years. He shows inadequate leadership in the war on terror and gives an economic growth plan that looks pretty on paper but has no tangible way of happening. Then he would outsource our prescription drugs to Canada, eliminating jobs in the U.S.

Dick Cheney is steadfast and knows that we have a real threat in terrorists that are after the very freedoms we enjoy. Bush/Cheney succeeded in taking us out of a recession.

Laura Randall

Chula Vista

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Who could have imagined that Cheney would maintain his position on gay marriage, even though it was in conflict with the president? More shocking was Edwards’ savage “rebuttal” to Cheney’s response by charging that the Cheneys love their daughter and that it’s the right thing to do.

Finally, everyone was left numb by Cheney’s vicious response in thanking Sen. Edwards for his kind remarks, and declining to speak further.

It was an amazing experience to see the candidates throw down their weapons and show their basic humanity.

At that point, Edwards took control of the debate because Cheney had no fight left in him. Could this be the end of nasty campaigns? We’ll know it’s so if, in the next debate, Kerry and Bush assault each other with flower arrangements and fruit baskets.

Lon Shapiro

Granada Hills

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My Republican friends repeatedly have told me how strong Bush is for Israel. Edwards once again very strongly expressed his unwavering support for Israel in Tuesday evening’s debate. Cheney on the other hand sidestepped the question as to Israel’s right to defend itself. Shame on anyone who calls either Kerry or Edwards weak on Israel.

Lysa Simon

Granada Hills