MAIL CALL: A VICTORY FOR GEORGE W. BUSH

The country split almost evenly in its choice for president, but the majority of letters responding to our Nov. 15 post-election Special Report came from Kerry supporters disheartened by George W. Bush's triumph at the polls. "Who can look at this man's achievements (or lack thereof) over the last four years and say, 'Let's give him another four'?" asked one reader. But Bush fans, many of whom take comfort in his "moral compass," felt vindicated. "The American people have spoken loud and clear," said one. "God is alive and in the hearts of millions of Americans."

Thank you for a superb job of reporting and writing in your Nov. 15 "How He Did It" issue. The behind-the-scenes look was fascinating. I literally couldn't put the magazine down. I took it with me everywhere to read whenever I had a spare moment. Going into the campaign season, I had planned to vote for Kerry (anybody but Bush), but as time went on I waited in vain to learn what he would do about Iraq if he were elected. To paraphrase President Bush, complaining about the current administration is not a plan for the future. By the end of the long, ugly campaign, I reluctantly voted for George W. Bush. Better a known than an unknown. Another minor consideration was Teresa Heinz Kerry. I didn't want an elitist snob for a First Lady, and everything I read confirmed my opinion of her. Thank you again for your thorough coverage, not only in this issue but throughout the campaign.
Ann Shorey
Sutherlin, Ore.

Your campaign analysis was tremendously insightful about the strengths and weaknesses of the two candidates, the disciplined organization of the Bush staff compared with the turmoil and indecisiveness of Kerry and his staff. If these insights had been available to the electorate prior to the election, the Bush-win margin would undoubtedly have been even greater. This quality of reporting will prompt me to resubscribe.
Donald J. Smalter
Juno Beach, Fla.

As a proud Kerry voter, I watched the media's postmortem election coverage with deep consternation. I am most concerned about their handling of the "morality" issue. My morals don't seem to count in the view of pollsters. Let me tell you a bit about Blue State morality. I voted for Kerry, strictly on moral grounds, because I believe the Bush administration is fundamentally immoral. Starting a pre-emptive war that results in the death of thousands of soldiers, women and children is immoral and not, in my mind, supportive of Bush's so-called culture of life. Nor is executing retarded people or polluting our children's air and water or handing a huge debt to generations to come. What is morality? Morality is feeding the hungry, caring for the sick and waging peace. Morality is tolerance and love for those who might differ from us. Didn't Jesus tell us to turn the other cheek? Didn't he tell those of us without sin to cast the first stone? In the years to come, when huge debt is wreaking havoc on our economy, we are wheezing through polluted air and few of us can afford health care, I wonder if all those who voted for Bush will look at their suffering children and say to them, "Take heart, honey, at least gays can't marry!"
Eliza VanCort
Ithaca, N.Y.

I am a white, Christian male from the South, and I voted based on my moral values, not my economic interests. These values include respect, tolerance and charity. Respect for all people, even those who disagree with me or hate me, for we are all images of the divine. Tolerance of each person's choices, whether religious, political or personal, for we are all sinners. Charity for those less comfortable than I, for we are all subject to the frailties of the physical world. I am a white Christian male from the South, and I voted for John Kerry.
David S. Curcio
Houston, Texas

On Nov. 2, I not only voted for Bush but I was one of the few Georgians to vote against the same-sex-marriage ban--and I did so as a lifelong conservative and evangelical who sees this as an equal-rights issue. However, I'm somewhat amused by columns like Jonathan Alter's ("Bush Could Bring Us Together") that urge Bush to adopt a more liberal agenda and ignore the conservative base that voted overwhelmingly for him. Down South we have an expression: "Dance with the one that brung you." If we had wanted a liberal president, we would have voted for Kerry.
Bob Swygert
Atlanta, Ga.