Response by Rick Thigpen

Thank God for the Presidential debates. The debates have given Kerry what the campaign hasn’t--a chance to engage the American public. The President appeared poised to pull off a phenomenal political feat, making his wartime leadership a political asset despite the daily stream of news ringing the alarms bells on the situation in Iraq. Trying to disprove the theory “you can’t fool all the people all the time,” President Bush’s choice to tough it out on Iraq requires him to convince the people that a 6 is really a 9. Senator Kerry can now gain the upper hand, if he can just tell the truth--simply, clearly and persuasively.

Comment by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind Academic Associate, Rick Thigpen (J.D., Columbia University Law School). Rick is a former Executive Director of the New Jersey Democratic Party and now a partner in The Strategy Group and is a campaign coordinator for the Essex County Democratic Party. Rick Thigpen, Esq. can be reached at (609) 394-0888.