But Bush should point out that Gates, et al., might not have bothered to found Microsoft if they?d known the Clinton Justice Department would eventually attempt to break it up. The company has created millions of jobs, but it?s also a good example of the bad things that tend to happen when the government does get involved.

Meanwhile, the president ought to add up all of Kerry?s proposals. In his speech, the senator promised that health care ?is a right for all Americans. And we will make it so.? New York Times op-ed columnist and Kerry supporter Paul Krugman estimates Kerry?s plan will cost $650 billion.

Kerry also vows to give ?a tax credit to families for each and every year of college,? to ?cut middle-class taxes,? to ?cut the deficit in half in four years.?

Wow. That?s hundreds of billions of dollars. How to pay for all that? ?I will roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals who make over $200,000 a year,? Kerry announced. But it?s clear the math doesn?t add up. To make his plans happen, Kerry would have to increase taxes across the board.

Bush should remind voters we?re better off as a nation with lower taxes. ?Aren?t you and your family better off today?? he should ask in his speech. ?Aren?t you paying lower taxes, keeping more of your money? If you are vote for me. If you?re not, vote for him.?

Finally, he should be specific. Kerry offered to return the country to the 1990s, ?We just need to believe in ourselves, and we can do it again,? he said. But he didn?t say how we?d accomplish that trip back through time.

Bush should be specific: Explain what he will do to keep terrorists on the run. Detail how he will continue to keep our homeland safe. Explain why our troops are in Iraq, and when they will return. The devil?s in the details, and while Kerry offered a lovely outline, he left the details out. Maybe that?s why he didn?t enjoy any bounce.

The American people have a real choice this year. It?s up to Bush to remind voters of that, from now until Nov. 2. If he does, we?ll all be able to live with the outcome, whatever the American people decide to do.