I am responding to Bryan Dahl's so-called editorial "Kerry too wealthy to champion America's middle, lower classes" (SN 10/26). Dahl spent so long trying to tear down John Kerry, he forgot to defend the "champion of the little guy," President Bush.

The fact is, Bush has never seen a hard day's work in his life. He was born into oil wealth - think Rockefeller rich - and has never had any real job except as CEO of a failed oil company named Arbusto, creatively meaning "Bush" in Spanish. Not to mention the fact that as owner of the Texas Rangers, he was instrumental in trading away Sammy Sosa.

Sure, Kerry might be wealthy, but he's not trying to pretend he's not. He has repeatedly mentioned that people like himself and the president are the ones receiving the tax breaks. Just because the president might come across as simple does not mean that he is a friend of the average citizen.

Also, in response to his attack of Teresa Heinz Kerry: Yes she did make a mistake, but the next day she apologized. If you actually read the entire interview, she actually said some very nice things about the first lady. And of course as Dahl mentioned, you only need look at the Bush twins to know Laura did something right. I forgot, how many times were the Bush twins busted for underage drinking? Not once but twice, all while their dad was president. All I can say is, they sure are a chip off the old block.

Ari Ruttenberg
social relations senior