<p>To MSL2008 and the other “just get out of Iraq” folks (who support Obama, in part, because of it)…</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What are your ideas on Extreme Islamic Fundamentalism, how it could impact us, and what (if anything) should we do about it?</p></li>
<li><p>What are your thoughts on the importance of Israel’s survival to the US, and what (if anything) we should do to promote it?</p></li>
<li><p>Please consider that embassies, a warship, and the basement of the WTC all happened before 9-11, and WTC bombing #2 was planned for years under Clinton. What is the best way to continue the absence of terrorist attacks that has been achieved since 9-11?</p></li>
</ol>
I think one of the greatest intellectual mistakes ever was to assume that Bush was unintelligent. No doubt he was dumber than Gore, but he certainly is smarter than McCain.</p>
<p>Mr Payne–I used to believe that Bush had to be smarter than he looked, sounded, and acted. Then, I decided, no. Probably not. He strikes me as the dimmest of bulbs, and possessed of no sense of history or intellectual curiosity whatsoever. For the past eight years, I’ve cringed with embarrassment for our country every time he’s opened his mouth in public. I’ll have to disagree with you on McCain. He’s not an extremely articulate public speaker, but I’m betting he’s a great deal brighter than the man he’s seeking to replace. Just my very humble opinion.</p>
I disagree. Bush’s intelligence, as measured by highly G-loaded tests in the military and those required for admittance into elite educational institutions showed him to be fairly intelligent. Of course, this has a very low effect on policies and/or leadership skills, etc.</p>
<p>I have to wonder if nepotism played an even bigger part in McCain’s admission to USNA than Bush’s admission to Yale.</p>
<p>I don’t think you ever rise to that level of politics, in todays society, whether through nepotism or whatnot, without being intelligent. Certainly there are degrees of intelligence but the issues are just too complex now days for a dimwit to fake it.</p>