Her star keeps rising -- Cynthia Tucker shares some somberly thoughts on our presidential candidates.

In her 9-05-04 column Cynthia Tucker informs Messrs. Bush and Kerry in her headline that We can handle grim truths. She writes:

Last Monday, NBC's Matt Lauer asked Bush, "Do you really think we can win [the war on terror]?"

"I don't think you can win it," he said, "but I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."

But he quickly backtracked, as John Kerry disingenuously rushed to condemn his response. Kerry, clearly, does not intend to level with the American people any more than Bush does.

Here is what both Kerry and Bush ought to be saying: The security Americans have long known on these shores is gone -- at least for my lifetime.

Apparently, neither candidate thinks enough of his countrymen to believe we're up to facing hard truths. Once upon a time, national leaders had a higher opinion of us.

President Kennedy once said: "We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."

Where is the presidential candidate who will speak to that America?