michaelr, it is a poor worker who blames his tools and a poor teacher who blames his pupil. If we have failed to present out ideas in convincing ways, perhaps it is our methods. Surely, bland acceptance of whoever the Democrats throw at us has not advanced the principles of liberalism. You can't believe that the Democrats will ever nominate a true progressive as long as they are dependant on the establishment for support. Our only power is the vote and, if we waste it again on the latest middle of the road "acceptable" puppet du jour, we have only ourselves to blame. The way to achieve our goals is to specify them and to back a candidate who openly advocates them. I'm not talking about World Socialism, here. I'm talking about real, salable issues like national health care, election reform, ending a senseless and impractical war immediately.
We have seen candidates run on these issues and win. Harrison Woford went to the Senate on the single issue of national health. Clinton won his first election with a campaign promise to end the ban on gays in the military. Why do we have so little faith in our message? Why do we have so little faith in the American people? I say, "Screw the pundits, full steam ahead".

                MIke Miller