"Now that I can see you, I don't think you're worth a second glance." - Chris Carrabba/Dashboard Confessional, Rapid Hope Loss

I liked Dean there for awhile. Dubya notwithstanding, I prefer presidential candidates who have actually governed, and I appreciated Dean's record in Vermont. But I've heard a 'bite here and there, and he has recently shown a rather unattractive arrogance. While I think the US presidency requires an inhuman quantity of extremely informed chutzpah, I'm not sure I cotton to the way Howard has conducted his campaign of late.

I am a citizen with very simple needs; perhaps they'd be met with Kerry for President, and Edwards as his VP...give Kerry 8, let Edwards take the next 8, and we might just make it to 2020 alive.

My mother, a staunch Democrat whose only voting blip was a vote for Nixon in 1960 (What can I say? She was a young woman concerned that Kennedy was too young to go up against Khruschev), watched Bill Maher on Larry King tonight. If I'd remembered, I'd have done the same, but I had a West Wing rerun keep me company while I made notes on the book assignment. Maher has gotten Mom quite fired up about the campaign. She's a North Carolina girl, and likes Edwards...she (facetiously, I promise you) thinks it's high time we had a hot guy in the Oval Office.

My personal and professional activities have prevented my acute attention to the race 'til now; with the California primary looming, I guess it's time for me to plug my nose and jump in. I'm sure those of you who have paid closer attention than I will be happy to edumacate (sic) me...Tommy. You, too, Heij.