I've read more than one alleged Democrat Salonista' sentiments as: "If HRC is the nominee, I'll vote for McCain. Because she voted for the Iraq war." Which has to be some of the most tortured logic I've ever read. (To be fair, others have said "... because she's such a b*tch!" which is less torturous, but still illogical).

But, McCain is coming across as the most palatable Republican. And if HRC and Obama continue to tear chunks out of each other's hides, McCain is who we'll get in '08.

So, I wonder, which McCain would that be: the straight-talking maverick, or the beaten Bush lapdog?

Either way, I think we'll be in Iraq for the next decade (if not McCain's proposed century), while oil prices continue to climb, the economy continues to tank, and we have to start considering a new Draft.

(Really, is HRC *that* much of a problem?)

Until we nominate Hillary. McCain will wipe her out. The press loves him, hates her; she's the wrong gender in the wrong country (she'll lose the male vote 65-35). But that's okay. We can all feel 'noble' the day after the election that we made 'history' by nominating a woman. One who half the country already hates. And like I always say: thanks again, New Hampshire women! You made it all possible!

You sound delightful. You wouldn't possibly still be single, hmmm?

You are right on one point: the media loves McCain, and Hates HRC.

So, we could allow "the media" to pick our leaders, or we could ... fire the media.

Rumors of the GOP's death are greatly exaggerated. To think that AnyWhiteGuy wouldn't automatically defeat Clinton or Obama is to greatly overestimate millions of our Fellow Americans.

I feel just as despondent about 2009 as I have for the last eight years.

would like to feel that it is justifiably true.

Is it? time will tell

The funniest thing is that since the GOP hasn't abandoned Bush, none of the candidates, (ceptin' Ron Paul) can run against Bush

So what you get on the GOP side is a bunch of candidates who have to support all the policies of a failure Bush, whom the vast majority of the US thinks is a failure, while desperately pretending to be Regan.

The Republican party has become the policy arm of the petroleum industry. The economic empire that the United States has become is openly acknowledged by its titular leader to be "addicted to oil." Addicts will stop at nothing to acquire the object of their addiction. In the case of the United States, petroleum is not only required to keep the economic engine going, but also to maintain the "muscle" needed to intimidate other nations or seize their oil outright.

The sad fact is that to all appearances, the extraction rate of petroleum worldwide HAS peaked. All of the Mr. Bush's blandishment to the petroleum-producing countries last week were met with silence. None of these leaders wants to say in public what they all know...that from this day forward, oil will get progressively more expensive and difficult to obtain. The consequences of this to the American Empire and the rest of the world will be immense and will be the theme of change in the twenty-first century.

All the hot air emanating from the Republican candidates about fighting terrorism is really a cover for maintaining a priority on claiming oil. As with most problems, the uncomfortable but ultimately the least damaging way to deal with a problem is to openly recognize it and start developing an action plan. Senator Obama is the only candidate to my knowledge that has even mentioned it. Among the Republicans, only Ron Paul advocates a realignment of national policy to get the government out of the business of fronting for corporations.

You mustn't say that. It indicates your basic sexism (see 'Juliebird' above). We must all think nice thoughts; like this isn't the United States in 2008, and that 59 million people didn't vote for Bush in 2004, and that half the country doesn't hate Hillary Clinton.

You know with all the problems facing America, it would be really nice if the REST of the mainstream media actually cared about reporting on the positions of EACH Presidential candidate on ALL the issues rather than reporting on the horse race. Unfortunately the MSM thinks that only the polls and the candidate’s “presidential charisma” are important. Who the heck cares how they comb their hair or what color her dress was?! We will get more in depth reporting on the Super Bowl players than we will on the remaining candidates. Most seem to be talking crazy talk about our military adventures in the Middle East. Also, only Ron Paul seems to understand the problems with the economy, inflation, and out of control deficit spending. Inflation is going to eat us alive, as it has already started to do so. Do you really believe that the REAL inflation rate used for Social Security check increases this month was 2.3%? Please vote Ron Paul & save the country from bankruptcy abroad & at home!

The MSM is allready taken it as a given that the surge is a great sucsess, that the DEMS have been the ones wrong about Iraq. The challenge to this in the press has been tepid at best; as most on the left are absorbed with petty Clinton/Obama bickering.

McCain could win, as so could Romney. The Republicans are hardly in the last throws, and this will be no cakewalk.

"He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them." Sun Tzu

don't misunderestimate the GOP candidates. The democrats appear as divided as the GOP and along lines that may be harder to forge into a coalition with the tone of the discourse devolving by the minute (was Obama seriously asked tonight what he why he thought Bill Clinton was called the first Black President?).

If the democrats cannot find a way to choose a nominee without self-imploding, then the GOP candidate may very well be able to cobble together something resembling a majority of those voters still motivated to go to the polls.