Stephen F. Kislock, III – 9/21/04

This page was last updated on September 25, 2004.

I want a thinking president; Stephen F. Kislock, III; Beaver County Times; September 21, 2004.

My first reaction was that Mr. Kislock wouldn’t recognize a thinking president if he tripped over one.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I know where President Bush stands. It’s on the graves of 1,027 American soldiers and 13,000 to 30,000 Iraqi civilians.”

[RWC] What a mean comment. What did President Bush do to justify being demonized by anyone other than terrorists?

“I do not know of any reason President Bush gave for invading Iraq but the weapons of mass destruction?”

[RWC] Mr. Kislock should read “House Joint Resolution 114 - Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002” if he hasn’t already. The resolution provides a list of reasons.

“On U.S. Sen. John Kerry changing his mind or position, I will quote President Lincoln after the firing on Fort Sumter. From day to day since he was sworn in as president, he had been moved toward war. In April 1861, he said casually to John Hay, his private secretary, ‘My policy is to have no policy.’ Day-to day-events dictated his actions.

[RWC] We’re comparing Kerry to Abraham Lincoln? Is Mr. Kislock kidding?

Mr. Kislock wants us to believe Lincoln didn’t know what he was going to do before Ft. Sumter. That’s a lie. Lincoln always made it clear he would act to preserve the Union. He clearly preferred a peaceful solution, but didn’t rule out military action. When the Confederacy fired first, the deed was done. President Bush followed a similar approach to Iraq. He pursued peaceful resolution via the United Nations. Only after that approach failed did the United States act to defend itself.

Kerry is completely different. His flip-flops are not of the day-to-day operational variety, like what tie do I wear today. His flip-flopping on Iraq is of the strategic variety. For example, he supported the Iraq War when he voted for House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 and during the primaries when he campaigned against Howard Dean. Now, though, he says he always opposed the Iraq War.

Regarding the quote, “My policy is to have no policy,” I can’t confirm Lincoln said it when Mr. Kislock claims. Even if true, Lincoln used this phrase so much it’s characterized as a motto. In many circles of the time, the motto wasn’t popular because some people interpreted it to mean Lincoln had no “compass.” As we now know, that view was not correct.

“Lincoln knew that where you stand today may be quicksand tomorrow. I want a thinking president, not someone who can only say, ‘You are with us or against us.’”

[RWC] So a “thinking president” is one who cannot make up his mind?

Here’s a quote for Mr. Kislock. “They are decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent.” These words belong to Winston Churchill, referring to the appeasers who allowed Hitler to gain strength before World War II.

“I, for one, am against this demagogue.”

[RWC] What a surprise. Mr. Kislock’s anti-Bush rants go back to 2002.