Dean is not "cozy with" the NRA. They have given him a high rating because in Vermont there is no gun crime, so he has enacted no gun control. His stated position on gun control is that he supports the existing Federal gun laws, the Brady Bill, etc, but that he wants other gun control to be left up to individual states, so that Vermont would not be subject to stringent federal requirements. I understand that this is a sticky issue for some of us Democrats, but he's not suggesting scaling back gun laws or anything like that.

There are a number of lies being spun about Dean. Gephardt is telling the elderly that Dean wants to take away their medicaid coverage, which as far as I can see is a complete fabrication. Others are saying he flip-flopped on Social Security, which is based on a willful misinterpretation of two statements, one of them made eight years ago. (when does a change in policy based on vastly changed circumstances become a "flip-flop?" Did Bush flip-flop on Iraq because at one time he was not at war with them?) Lieberman is telling Jews that Dean's Israel policy of acting as a neutral third party during negotiations is throwing away our fifty-year alliance with the Israelis (in fact it is identical to Clinton's, and Carter's, and, for that matter, Bush's). So don't believe the spin!

I think Clark could be good, but so far he hasn't really identified his positions on a lot of issues. I agree the gun control line was a good one, but it doesn't really say what his policy on gun control laws would be. I also wonder if he is really committed to democratic principles, having voted for Nixon and Reagan (I know, I know, it's not a flip-flop if it happened so long ago!) But I remain hopeful that one of these gentlemen (or perhaps both of them on the same ticket) will defeat the Dick n' Bush show.