Three strikes and you're out. I am probably going to strike out, but here goes. Kerry needs to ask us: "Are you safer than you were four years ago."

When you're batting average isn't worth a flip anyway, why not keep swinging away. I am 0 for 2 in my suggestions on "bite" and "bumper sticker" type items for the Kerry campaign.

Strike one: In an 8-8-04 I started referring to John F. Kerry as JFK. This wasn't because he was running against a W. It was because of much positive assocition with JFK, some that Kerry could stand with the soccer moms who have turned into security moms. Such moms remember hearing their moms talking about Camelot, etc.

I remember having JFK bumper stickers on my notebooks in the 7th grade, but can't recall if the campaign ever got into JFK for the USA. I clearly recall this happening four years later when it was LBJ for the USA.

Oh well, strike one. At least he has quit beting photographed with Sen. Ted Kennedy (and I did not say the other Kennedy guy -- Robert Kennedy was a great American), although he took up in lieu of this posing in bunny outfits and in his wind surfing attire.

Strike two. In my 9-2-04 post entitled "All right JFK, the battle lines are drawn. W has thrown down the gauntlet. W's battle cry: It's terrorism stupid. What are you going to do?", I told Kerry to quit talking about Vietnam and engage "the" issue as set by the incumbent, and in the process, beat him at what he says is his game -- "It's terrorism stupid."

On September 24, after his poll numbers had plummeted to a level that only a homerun tomorrow night can reverse, he picked up the message.

I noted this in my post of 9-25-05 entitled "I couldn't have said it any better myself -- Slowly but surely, Kerry is getting his message organized and to the point: 'It's terrorism stupid.'" In this post I noted:

"Less than a week before the first presidential debate, Mr. Kerry took aim at what has long been considered Mr. Bush's greatest political strength since 9/11 - the perception that he would do a better job keeping the country safe from future attacks."

Being that this was almost a month, I hereby give myself another strike, making strike two.

Strike three ??: We have grown accustomed to being asked "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

Kerry's question needs to pin the tail on the donkey. His question:

"Are you safer than you were four years ago?"

After all is said and done, the reason the answer to this is no -- regardless of the arrogance of the administration is refusing to even acknowledge the possibility that its mistakes make the answer a clear no -- provides the reason many folks not sold on Kerry should vote for him anyway, disregarding Bush's domestic screwups.