Pictured Barack Obama (left) and Sen. John Kerry in Florida last weekend. Photos by Tracy Baim and Darlene / Photo Graphics
A divided nation goes to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2 to decide the fate of the country. With incumbent Republican President George W. Bush facing heated attacks for his handling on the 'war on terror,' his conservative handlers have fired back with a war on America—a fight for 'family values' which focuses on two of the most divisive issues facing the American electorate: gay marriage and abortion.
Many social conservatives are voting not on bread-and-butter issues such as the economy, jobs, the Supreme Court, healthcare, the war, or social security, but rather on social issues. And while many gays and lesbians are not just focused on gay-rights topics, the overall anti-gay agenda of the Bush administration, culminating in his support of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, has been a lightning rod used to motivate a wave of support for Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry.
Kerry has danced around the gay marriage issue to run from being labeled too liberal, but his record as a senator is nearly spotless on gay-rights issues. He has a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign. Bush couldn't even get the backing of the gay Log Cabin Republicans.
But the race for the president is not the only one impacting the nation's future. Races for U.S. Senate and House posts are also important, to give progressives a chance of defeating right-wing legislation and judicial appointees. In this week's Windy City Times, look for coverage of the few competitive races remaining in Cook County and Illinois.