My Two Cents On:

1. Exit polls. The early returns from the exit polls gave Democrats hope that Kerry would pull it out. I, myself, was very nervous and not at all confident, even before hearing what the exits had to say. So, either Kerry voters voted early or Bush voters lied to pollsters as they exited and skewed the polls. At my polling location, there was a man asking for all Democrats to "check in here" as they left the building. Maybe that was the problem: they were only getting answers from Democrats. In that case, of course Kerry was ahead!

2. Main Stream Media. We're tired of the lies and half-truths that are being reported as truth by the MSM. CBS in particular has been hit by decreasing ratings. MSM needs to remember that journalism can be defined as "writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation." This is only one definition, but they must remember that unless they are offering an opinion, this is the definition they should aspire to.

Tom Brokaw at NBC will be replaced on December 1 by Brian Williams, an announcement that was made a long time ago.

I'm betting that an announcement will be forthcoming from CBS that Dan Rather will be stepping down from his anchor position. He might go to a format where his opinion is appropriate, or to special reports of some kind. But I believe he will be leaving nightly news.

Peter Jennings stated "I'm a little concerned about this notion everybody wants us to be objective." Isn't that the role of the journalist as defined above? I want the facts so that I can make my own decision. Maybe it's time for a change at ABC as well.

MSM has to re-invent itself or it's toast. Very few people I know bother with network news or the print media. I read the online version of my local paper and depend on talk news radio and Fox News for my news information. The news division at Fox News is fair and balanced. Just remember that they also have shows that are commentary and opinion-oriented in nature (O'Reilly and Hannity and Colmes), and others such as Fox and Friends that are a combination of news, commentary, and entertainment. These are not "news" shows.

3. I'd like liberals to understand most conservatives never questioned your patriotism or love of country. I honestly believe that you believe your ideas are best and that conservatives don't know beans about what's right for America. I don't hold with the idea that liberals actually hate America and what it stands for. It might be true of some, but I refuse to believe all liberals hate America. I believe that many of your ideas won't work as well as you think they will. I believe that liberals are unwitting socialists, but that you honestly believe you know what is best for America and love America every bit as much as I do.

4. Evangelical Christians did not vote. Americans with a different value system than liberals (no better, no worse, just different) voted in higher numbers. You can put any label you choose on voters who elected Bush, but they are simply Americans who saw a man with values similar to theirs and trust him to lead America for another four years. People are generally attracted to people who are similar to them. We tend to vote for people "like us". Senator Kerry just didn't attract enough people "like him" to elect him.

5. Hatred spawns hatred and isn't good for anyone. If your life is consumed by hatred, people are wary and dismiss you with pity. My time is too valuable to be spent with people who live in the darkness of hatred.

6. Hollywood celebrities need to remember that they are paid for their entertainment value, not for their politics. Just because you have name value doesn't mean the rest of America cares about your politics. Some Hollywood names came up in a conversation the other day and the first thing I remembered were comments they had made about President Bush. They are as entitled to their opinion as I am, but I pay them for entertainment, not for their political views. Oh, and those of you who threatened to move if President Bush were re-elected? Pay up or shut up.

7. Terrorists: America told Osama bin Laden where, and how, to shove it. Don't threaten us. We have a president who isn't afraid to go after you. You started it, you brought it to us, and we'll finish it. Terrorists who kidnap women and men to force their countries to pull out of Iraq are murderous cowards hiding behind masks and religion. Terrorists are bullies and thugs who happen to be followers of Islam. They are using their religion because they hate. It's that simple.

8. America is the greatest country in the world. We are the most powerful and the most prosperous. We have been cast into the role of protector of the world and we take our job seriously. We don't use our power to take over other nations. If we did, the UN wouldn't exist, nor would France or Germany. People of other nations hate us because we are young, proud, and prosperous, and they are forced to ask us for help because they can't help themselves. We give billions in aid to other countries who then ridicule and backbite us. We've forgiven billions of dollars in debt. When we go to war, we do so because other nations need our help or we've been attacked. We rebuild nations and ask only for land to bury our dead. We continue to give aid and get ridicule and grief in return.

9. More than anything, moral values won the election. Some are saying that moral values were rated above and beyond all other issues, including the economy and the War on Terror and the war in Iraq. Moral values equates with character.

And, as I've said all along, it's all about character.

God Bless America!