Ferguson Doesn't Get It.

Rock stars and professors should stay out of politics, because they usually don't get it, with the exception of hard rocker Alice Cooper of course, who says he was disgusted to learn about plans by Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., Sheryl Crow and James Taylor to do a series of concerts to promote the Democratic ticket. "If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around (with) the Washington Journal."

While Niall Ferguson just might sit around reading the Washington Journal in his office overlooking Harvard Yard, after reading his column Republicans for Kerry, he should probably cancel his subscription and leave the political prognaticating to Alice Cooper or someone else (by the way I'm impressed that Alice Cooper knows of the Washington Journal).

It's Ferguson's premise that conservatives would be better off if George Bush fails to win a second term? Here's why:

"If he secures re-election, President Bush can be relied upon to press on with a foreign policy based on pre-emptive military force, to ignore the impending fiscal crisis (on the Cheney principle that 'Deficits don't matter') and to pursue socially conservative objectives like the constitutional ban on gay marriage. Anyone who thinks this combination will serve to maintain Republican unity is dreaming; it will do the opposite. Meanwhile, the Dems will have another four years to figure out what the Labour Party finally figured out: It's the candidate, stupid. And when the 2008 Republican candidate goes head-to-head with the American Tony Blair, he will get wiped out."

But Ferguson makes his analysis on a set of faulty assumptions. First, he presumes there is waiting in the wings of the Democratic Party an "American Tony Blair," quite a remarkable assumption indeed after witnessing post-9/11 the incredible leadership of the man currently residing at 10 Downing Street. Second, he reveals his poor judgment of skill and character when comparing President Bush to Former Prime Minister John Major -- no doubt a lovely man, but one that who the charisma, political acumen (just think of the Swift Vote Vets ads) and fortitude of the current President. And perhaps most insulting to the soldiers sitting in front of that God-forsaken shrine in Najaf, he forgets that September 11 happened; that we're at war -- a circumstance that John Major chose not to face in his refusal to send troops to Bosnia. No, President Bush would be better compared to another British Prime Minister: Winston Churchill