The Iraq War Issue

As anyone who hasn't been under a rock knows, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was brought before an Iraqi court recently for a preliminary hearing. His performance was pathetic and bizarre. He still thinks he's the legitimate president of Iraq, when he never was. Whatever you think of the war that ousted him, we should be glad that he's not only out of power, he's being tried by a jury of his peers in a manner that would not have been possible for anyone under his own regime. And he's being seen for the tyrant he was.

So how is the war shaping up as an issue? Hard to say - it's only July. I'll offer this much of a guess. If there's another terrorist attack in the United States between now and Election Day, it helps George W. Bush. If there's a Tet-style assault against American forces in Iraq, it helps John Kerry. Either way, though, don't rule out the economy as a factor. The recent job growth may be steady, but the new jobs being created, for the most part, pay considerably less than the jobs lost in 2001 and 2002 - nine thousand dollars per year less, by some estimates. Look for Kerry to drive that point home, along with the ongoing health insurance crisis in this country.