Just Ask President Bush.

John Kerry is in hot water for comments he made to a group of students. What he was suppose to say was, "if people don't do well in school they end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush." Instead, he said "people who don't study hard and do their homework would likely get stuck in Iraq."

This botched joke, as people are calling it, has forced the Democrats to do some damage control and, it has given the Republicans some political fodder.

Personally, I'm not surprised something like this has happened. This is because John Kerry is a dull, boring man.

You want to know why Bush won in 2004? It wasn't because of red states to blue states, conservative values to liberal values, or whether Iraq was good idea. The Democrats lost because their candidate lacked passion and emotion.

Voters around the world do not want a leader who is so uptight because he/she is afraid that anything he or she says or does, might offend someone. God forbid a politician should do something wild and crazy. Unfortunately, most politicians are like this and that's why people always plug their noses and vote for the lesser of two or more evils.

To me, the best politicians are the ones who've got the style, the swagger, and most importantly, care about their country. Politics is a lot like professional wrestling. There are many who want to be the best but, it's the ones who are charismatic that actually achieve their goal. The political leaders we will remember are the ones who are passionate about what they do and have the swagger that hooks people in.

So many come to mind.

Bill Clinton; he played the sax, chatted up the ladies and carried the United States into a new millennium. He never lost.

Ronald Reagan; he wanted to beat the Soviets and was willing to do anything. All he had to do was use his acting skills and he could convince Americans on anything.

Pierre Trudeau; believed in a just society and couldn't care if his personal life was the deciding factor for most Canadian voters. He brought in our Charter and had the guts to dance behind the Queen's back.

Rene Levesque; the only reason why Quebec Independence is a "hot button" issue is because Levesque believed in it with such vigor. Say what you will, he did a great job of being the thorn of Canadian politics. He brought attention to the issues he and his followers cared about.

Ed Broadbent; here is a man that cares about his country. In his speeches, in his appearances and in his beliefs, Broadbent is a man who lives for every single Canadian. I'd argue that he is the best politician that never got to be Prime Minister.

John Kerry didn't botch the joke because he read the wrong thing. He botched it because he had no style. Style, conviction, compassion, charisma, emotion; in politics, it goes a long way.

The Hek