I am solidly with the Air Marshal concerning the war, terrorism and Iraq. Bush wants the election to be about the war? Fine — by any measure, this poorly-planned, poorly-executed and mishandled conflict has revealed terrible flaws in Bush’s leadership and the leadership of his administration. The American people must make a clear statement about Bush’s failures and remove him from office.

I also want to defend the Minister of Agriculture against the false charges of our Maximum Leader. If he has been ’squishy,’ as our Maximum Leader described, it’s just because he hasn’t been working out lately and has nothing to do with his political views. I’ve also never been a pacifist, and my military credentials are as strong as anybody else’s in the cabinet. I have always been in favor of the war on terror and against the war in Iraq, a position I have spelled out on this blog many times. Even our Maximum Leader has acknowledged the merit of my argument, and I’m honored that the Minister of Agriculture has shifted his position; he’s hardly gone soft on the issues simply because he’s made the intelligent decision to vote against Bush.

My only disagreement with the Minister of Agriculture is the expressed reluctance of his shift to Kerry. While I think that Kerry has been a poor campaigner so far, I think Kerry’s character and experience are exemplarly, and he will make a fine President. In suggesting otherwise, I think the Minister of Agriculture has fallen prey to Republican propaganda rather than examining the record of the man himself. If he truly wants Bush to lose, he needs to discover the merits of Kerry’s position for himself and argue in his favor.

Failing that, the Minster of Agriculture remains vulnerable to the charge of wanting it both ways (if so inclined, please insert sexual innuendo here). If our dear rural minister sees fit to post his political hand-wringing verbatim, he should take care lest he be squished in the middle.

Believe.