Frank, nice to be on the same side. The only thing I disagree with in your above post is that I think Kerry is part of an "Old Boy Network." But that's not the end of the world. It was the life he was handed. Edwards, despite the Millworker thing, was part of such a network; in some ways that's how the Senate functions. But everyone who has reached the level of being a serious candidate has friends and cronies in powerful places...you can't get where Kerry is without that.

Even Dean was trying to penetrate that network, starting with his endorsements by Gore, Bradley, et al. So if that's Kerry's deadly sin, the left will have to get over it. The most effective leftists in our government are part of this network too.

Nader, by the way, is part of such a network too, it's just more based on intellectual capital than financial and political capital. It would mean that as president he would be able to command great respect among many academics, philosophers, and progressive thinkers, but he probably wouldn't be too good at working with Congress and the Supreme Court. I'd rather have Kerry in there, personally.

As for the comparison between Bush and Kerry, Bush is even more of an old boy insider. So again I prefer Kerry.

Alaska Mike, I totally agree with your post of 10 Mar 04 - 01:40 AM. I also live in a late-voting state, but it's a swing state, so I have the added anxiety of not knowing who my delegates will be supporting, despite knowing how I cast my vote. We have to get rid of the college and hold primaries all at once, IMO. Only that way will everyone have a say.