More on “Values”

Further to the Trunk’s post of a few minutes ago, I would note that the Democrats’ claim that they lost because they courageously stood up for the civil “right” of gay marriage–they didn’t, of course–is wishful thinking. The deciding issue in the election was that most voters saw President Bush as a decisive and courageous leader, and saw John Kerry as a trimmer. This, I think, is what most respondents had in mind when they said that their vote was swayed by “moral values.” Cox and Forkum make the point well. Click to enlarge:

There really isn’t any reason why we should call the desire not to be blown up by terrorists a “value.”