Political affiliation is the defining factor of most students at GW. If that’s not obvious by now, you must not be paying attention; even the Facebook has a place to inform others of your intended vote. It is no surprise that with Election Day only a day away, who is voting for whom is perhaps the most debated topic among students.

Since school started, political debates, parties, rallies and campaign trips have barraged our school, and it comes down to this: Bush or Kerry? With both sides fighting hard to sway moderates one way or the other, it will come down to Tuesday, the day everyone gets to make that crucial decision of who they want to lead this country for the next four years – that is, if you actually got your absentee ballot this year.

It is probably a fair assessment that most students are either for Bush, for Kerry, or don’t give a damn and aren’t voting. It should be noted that I have already voted for Bush and feel that others should do the same — but that’s the thing. How couldn’t I have?

President Bush has presented a platform since day one and has not wavered on a single decision that he has made, which is obviously not something that can be said for Senator Kerry. I think a leader is someone who is willing to make the decisions that others won’t, especially the unpopular ones that will probably cost you votes. And I really feel that Kerry would sell his soul for a vote. How could you possibly put a man like that in the most powerful position in the world? Politics is not always about how much you like a candidate, but how much you respect that candidate.

Consistency is one of the most important characteristics a candidate can possess, and President Bush has had just that. If you don’t believe me, just look at the amount of scrutiny he received for the decisions he has made about issues such as stem cell research and the war in Iraq. It still surprises me that the media has not gone after Kerry’s many inconsistent and contradictory statements in the same manner they have crucified Bush.

Along with knowing what you actually stand for as a presidential candidate, having the integrity to follow through with the statements you make is extremely important as well. This is another reason President Bush is the more rational choice. At this point, it should be mentioned that Kerry, as a veteran of war, should without hesitation support and finance ours troops. There is no excuse for his repeated voting against funding for the troops when he claims to understand their needs in times of war.

I know that many people do not fully agree with the policies President Bush and his administration stand for, and neither do I. Yet I must stress that being a strong political figure is vital in our global society. If the person we elect cannot convince this country of our position in the world, how could you possibly expect another country’s leader to respect our president enough to follow him into complex circumstances?

While everyone is going to base their vote on different factors, I can only hope that when people picture their president, they take into consideration the number of times President Bush has defended this country to outside criticism. Kerry has used this criticism numerous times to fuel his platform instead of relying on his own issues to propel him toward the presidency. Anyone who must rely on the media and political critics to make his platform is not fit to be put into a position of making the most important decisions for this country.

-The writer is a sophomore majoring in business.