Column: Republican vision

Two weeks ago, I went to the Charlotte Coliseum to see President George W. Bush speak. I knew he'd been traveling around the country to support Republican candidates and assumed he would speak for about five minutes, endorse Elizabeth Dole, pose for a few pictures with her and then head off to his next rally. But in typical Bush fashion, the president exceeded my expectations.

He spoke for about 40 minutes, talking little about Dole and a lot about his vision for America. He was surprisingly controversial. He said he wanted his party to gain a Senate majority so that he could appoint judges to the federal courts who would use their positions to interpret laws rather than create them. He explained why it is an economic truth that tax cuts invigorate slow economies and that he wants the tax cuts of 2001 to be permanent so that businesses can invest their resources and create new jobs without fear of tax cut repeals. He said we should look into a senior prescription drug plan and he told of recent victories in the war on terror, explaining why it is accomplishing what it was supposed to accomplish. He said he believes it is his duty to protect the American people and that we need to send inspectors into Iraq to find out what Hussein is hiding. And yes, he even said that Hussein poses so grave a threat to American security that another refusal of inspection must be answered with something more than a reprimand.

I didn't agree with everything Bush said that day, just as I haven't agreed with every action he's taken since elected. But it was apparent to me, as it has been for over two years, that he has a well-thought-out plan for improving American lives. Based on Tuesday's election results, it is clear that Americans see this vision and prefer it to the typical negativity and scare tactics the Democratic Party once again used this election cycle.

I find only one of several theories convincing as to why the Republicans dramatically took over the Senate and gained seats in the House during a recession. The Republican Party has a vision and the Democratic Party doesn't. Bush, a classy, honest and likable man, laid out his vision for America: tax cuts will create new jobs and improve economies, social security needs to be reformed before it runs out and we need to fight terrorism for protection, even if it requires a war with Iraq.

Let's contrast this to the Democratic strategy. The key campaigners were Bill Clinton, a divisive figure who is not exactly the pinnacle of integrity or class, and Al Gore, Tom Daschle and Dick Gephardt, three men with snake-like personalities and unhealthy obsessions with being elected president. Still, the problem with the Democrats' campaign was not with leadership but with strategy.

While the Republicans offered a positive vision for the future, the Democrats, while fittingly reviving the political careers of retreads Frank Lautenberg and Walter Mondale, offered old-fashioned negativity and venom. Their strategy of demonizing Bush was suicidal and inappropriate. Democrats despise Bush and have tried to castigate him as a mean spirited person at every opportunity. That's why they lost the Senate Tuesday. Instead of attacking him on policy, they accused him of wanting to steal from senior citizens and hurt Iraqi children.

The Democrats could have told Americans why they, not Republicans, had solutions to solve todays problems. Instead, they made personal attacks on Republicans. It got so bad that Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said that the party's number one priority was making sure Jeb Bush was not reelected in Florida. McAuliffe's statement illustrates the problem with the Democrats' strategy. While Republicans were thinking about the future and offering positive solutions, Democrats were viciously focused on only the past and present. They would rather get vengeance on Bush for winning Florida two years ago than campaign in a battleground Senate race.

I learned this week that the cynics are wrong. It's possible to win an election with vision and optimism. If I could talk to Bush today I'd say the exact same thing I said to him at the Coliseum last month. As he walked toward the frenzied crowd, we shook hands. "You've made us proud Mr. President," I said. "Thank you," he replied. Given the classy and successful campaign he ran this cycle, one that may change how future campaigns are run, we should all be thanking him.