A year ago, wannabe national journalists were bothering Texas Governor George W. Bush about rumors that he had used recreational drugs in his younger days. Now, they are hustling to justify Vice-President Al Gore's second-place finish in a series of three nationally televised, one-on-one debates against Bush.

Bush gets our nod in every category of the debates except debating tactics, and he gets our nod to be the next President of the United States. After all, we're electing a leader for our county, not a high school debate team.

Bush has what it takes to unite our country – both Democrats and Republicans – to help some of those that have missed the shuttle to the American dream catch up. On the other hand, Gore rattles off one program after another that even members of his own party have said will be more costly to operate than today's government. But he says he's going to make government smaller.

Gore takes credit for much that has happened in the past eight years, and we don't doubt he's been there working for America. On one issue after another, Gore talks about how he cast the tie-breaking vote, which in his mind means he deserves the credit.

Gore carries on about the prosperity of the past eight years and the credit the current administration deserves for that prosperity, yet by our count he didn't mention Bill Clinton once during the three televised debates.

Is it because of Clinton's oft-publicized moral sidesteps? Gore has not been absolutely clear of scandal himself, yet when Bush mentioned his role in a fund-raising controversy, the vice-president passed it off as a personal attack.

Bush is a leader. He has charisma. He has character. Bush is a down-to-earth human being who has an unusual ability to relate to folks from all walks of life. Not bad for the son of a former President.

Bush thinks outside the box, and is a very practical guy. He understands that surplus tax dollars belong to the citizens, and that the best way to help more people enjoy this time of American prosperity is to let them keep more of the money they work so hard to earn.

Gore says Bush's proposed tax cut would be too expensive. Expensive for whom? Regardless of the overall economic growth our country has enjoyed recently, millions of Americans work hard every day, yet cannot afford the basic necessities of life – shelter, clothing, food and health care.

Bush says every American deserves a cut in taxes, Gore says he is going to work for the middle-class. If we consider ourselves a three-class society, he's leaving out one-in-three Americans.

Fuzzy math' calculates it differently.

Bush and Gore basically have a difference of opinion about what the role of government should be, and about whose money it really is that funds the government.

Without the support of Congress, it's hard for any President to accomplish much, and George W. Bush is the man that can gain that support.