Edward Champion's Return of the Reluctant

You make a good point. Dennis is really the only candidate with much of a trace of progressive Liberalism. It's ironic that many depict Dean as "far left" when he's actually to the right of Nixon on many issues. It just shows how skewed to the Right the U.S. has become.

I do have to defend Dean somewhat. He is not soft on civil liberties (e.g., the first governor to sign a civil union law for gay couples) and he has repeatedly said he repeal portions of the Patriot Act he believes are unconstitutional and protect the civil rights of immigrants under investigation. He supports a bill that would expand the accused's access to DNA testing.He wants to end the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in the military. He's pro-choice and opposes the bill to ban late-term abortions. Dean is a huge supporter of state's rights and the Second Amendment's right to bear arms.
I'm not against the death penalty if it's reserved for heinous crimes and administered fairly - which is basically Dr. Dean's position.

I don't know if I'd say Kucinich has balls or if I'd say he just knows his views are so far out of the mainstream and he is so repugnant to most people that he feels free to just run as a protest candidate. I mean, I do admire him as a man of conscience. But Dean has a different motivation. He is actually running to *win*. So I guess he is more of a "sellout", but on the other hand, he could really be much more effective since he has (had?) a chance of actually becoming President.

It's funny - we are in symmetrically opposite positions. You live in a state where your vote doesn't carry as much weight because it's certain to go Democrat. I live in a state where my vote is pretty much wasted because it's certain to go Republican. I don't think either of our primary votes will make much differences, as the front runner will probably be determined by the time our elections roll around. Actually California is a week earlier - so there could still be a Dean vs. Kerry question at that point. I really think Dean will get California - but I just have to say Vote Dean! Out of the two candidates that actually have a chance of being President - he's certainly the more liberal one on civil rights.

I also meant to say I'll be voting for Dean out of loyalty. Being involved in the campaign, and having so many close Texan friends who have travelled the country to campaign - as well as building up a huge grass-roots organisation here - just means something to me on a personal level. Even if he really has no chance by 9 March, it's important to me that I help show that he has reached a lot of people and built a lot of support here. I guess in a way it may be a protest vote, also. I'd like him to make a showing, though.

Kucinich likes to pretend he's pro-choice, but if you look at his voting record he's pro-life. I'm not voting for that motherfucker.

Charles: True on the gay unions front. But I'm talking civil liberties, not civil rights. Dean calls for an increased domestic military and police presence. He supports a national ID card which would require people to use to login to the Internet. And he still supports sizable portions of the Patriot Act.

I would agree with you that a certain amount of "selling out" is necessary (and Jessa does voice my one concern with Kucinich -- his waffling on abortion) if you hope to become President. Nearly every concerned party I've talked with, ranging from wild-eyed liberals to more pragmatic Gore voters, has agreed that Anybody But Bush will be the choice. The Kucinich vote, abortion caveat nonwithstanding, will help me sleep better in November. My problem with Dean is the Trippi fiasco and the wholesale mismanagement of his campaign -- which is well out of step with the fiscal management image he's trying to maintain. Dean's ability to fulminate is beyond question. But I'm no longer convinced that he has what it takes to oversee the details.