Guys,

The Republicans have given you a Gift. Now you need to take advantage of it.

Don't let the media define the back and forth on this,

Get your collective heads together and come up with an add that arespected Dem (it can be Kerry)can make, speaking to the American people.

The add should address that the White House and President deserve criticism for sending our brave men and women to fight a war that this administration has yet to state a clear reason why it started the war and where it intends to go with the war.

Democrats will not put American lives in harms way for unsubstantiated reasons.

That the people who put us in this mess, might have acted differently if they had ever served in combat--maybe the spokes person should be John Murtha. He is full of creditabily.

The democrats need to take the initiative in a public, straight forward airing that uses the Kerry statement, its true meaning and the administration's reaction to it, to frame this issue nationwide from here to election day.

Joseph F. Costa