Saturday October 23, 2004 – 2004 Election & Thrilla in Manila

Saturday October 23, 2004 – 2004 Election & Thrilla in Manila

We’re ten days away from Election 2004 and my wife “I” and I are trying to decide on how we will cast our ballots. We’re each card-carrying independents but “I” likes to tell you how she stands on candidates and issues. I’m a more secretive type that refuses to let on how I will vote on any issue or candidate to the great consternation of my two daughters and to the amusement of “I”, who thinks she knows my political leanings.

My oldest daughter M is a unapologetic liberal—democrat—and my youngest daughter R is a independent minded conservative—Republican. M lives in Northern California, while R lives in Southern California. These two pretty much cancel one another out, though each has earnestly tried to change the other’s mind without much success. "I" and I raised two free thinking, independent minded kids and this is the result.

M thinks I’m becoming a republican. “I” and I benefited from the incumbent president’s lavish tax cut—as did both M and R—thus the belief on the part of M that I’ve been seduced by the dark side. On the other hand, R is convinced I’m a democrat because I’m a Silicon-Valley tech head and all of them are anybody-but-Bush democrats.

The truth of the matter is an independent has a right to move between these to polar extremes depending on his or her perception of the candidates. But this election is producing a dilemma demanding a judgment no less weighty than the one demanded of King Soloman by the two women both claiming the right to the same baby.

At the risk of mixing metaphors, I liken this Election year's battle to the great Thrilla in Manila between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. I’m going to argue that Kerry is the white version of Muhammad Ali and Bush is the equally white version of Joe Frazier.

Ali, the handsome, suave, articulate, graceful man, was the fighter you loved to watch in the ring because of his consummate grace. He was lean and tall and with a complete command of his body and those fast moving hands—an elegant fighting machine that could throw a verbal jab with the same stinging impact as those gloved hands of his.

To watch Kerry is to bring to mind the young Ali: tall and imperial in appearance, standing in front of a crowd arguing his case with a fighter’s passion, taking apart his opponent’s position on issues, questioning his opponent’s motives for waging war in the wrong place against the wrong enemy, challenging his opponent’s ability to rule.

Joe Frazier, the blunt weapon, built to take a punch while waiting to deliver the lethal knockout blow that Ali knew all too well could easily put him on the mat. Frazier was the man who took aim at his opponent and relentlessly pursued him, waiting for the opening to deliver his winning punch. Not flashy, but certainly deadly and with the heart and determination to confront his opponent and battle to the end.

To watch Bush is to see those same elements. Given a field of battle, he will always look for ways to change the contest to gain an advantage. While Ali tried to make Frazier open up and fight a fast punch and block fight, Frazier slowed the tempo, forcing Ali to come in close where the advantage would swing to Frazier. The debates were an example, Kerry won on points—if you were keeping score and in Kerry’s corner. Bush won on showing up, taking the verbal assaults, and making his case to those on his side of the ring.

The great thing about the Thrilla in Manila is that you had seen two of the greatest heavyweights in any era, duel 14 rounds to a finish that left no doubt about the greatness of both. The thing about this election is that only history will determine if the winner is due any measure of greatness.

Politics really sucks.