the only ones I know of who are actually supporting Hillary! in the 2008 race are conservatives, and that's only because she's such a polarizing figure in American politics and that they figure people who are on the fence will run screaming toward the Republican candidate.

I like Edwards for President, but I gotta be honest here - at this point it's only because I'm not completely frickin' sick of him yet.

The Thornsetter Project

First, the new president will have to pull America back together again. And second, he or she will have to reach out to the international community and repair the untold damage done by the American Party of Greed.

Hillary can't do the former. Edwards simply doesn't have the experience, relationships, or expertise to do the latter. The same goes for the Obamanation that would be the junior Senator from Illinois’s foreign policy – and he actually has more concrete FoPo experience than Edwards. Edwards’s denigration of Foreign Policy experience in recent interviews has added to my worries that Edwards would be a great Vice President, but not a great head of state.

I think Biden has the humanity to do the former as well as anybody except Obama, and the ability, experience, tact, finesse, relationships, gravitas, and respect to do the latter better than any candidate in the field. I had many interesting experiences as a Senate FR Committee intern, but one that persists in my memory is how much respect all the European ambassadors and other foreign leaders I met had for Biden.

posts. Being relatively new to North Carolina I feel unqualified to intelligently comment on state politics and the people who may or may not run for statewide office here. Nan and I actively supported and fought for Senator Julia Boseman and against Al Roseman. We got involved in the Shuler campaign and contributed to Kissell's campaign. In each instance we did so because we believed in the candidate first and foremost. I believe many others, regardless of formal party affiliation, did the same. Based on my analysis of our local races and the votes cast, I'd guesstimate there are 25-30% of the voters who are hardcore Republican, and about the same for Democrats. The remaining 40-50% (who may or may not vote) are going to decide based on their personal assessment of the candidate regardless of party. So...what does the Presidential candidate mean to "down-ballot" candidates? IMHO, not much...to those who regularly vote. What it may influence, however, is the turnout at the polls.

There are a lot of permutations and combinations one might ponder...i.e., the Hillary effect...or the Obama effect, etc. I'm not going to go there except to say I feel certain Hillary would bring out NC Republicans in droves and a lot of Dem's would still be so sick from throwing up night and day they wouldn't be able to wobble to the polls.

I'm an unabashed Edwards supporter. I like Clark a lot. Richardson has good diplomatic credentials...and I think I could find something good to say about all the rest. On the other hand, I've started to apply a litmus test to candidates for just about anything, but particularly the Presidency. That test is: Is she or he a professional politician? If the answer is clearly yes...I'm not gonna give 'em my support...because they haven't lived in the real world for years. Biden is in his 6th term. He hasn't the faintest idea of what it means to be a "common man" or to struggle. Obama is younger, but politics have basically been his whole life. Vilsack...the past 30+ years in public office...Clinton...same deal. In a nutshell, I don't trust these people to have felt, anytime in the recent past, what it feels like to be John or Judy Public...or to have any real empathy or fire in their belly to change the things so wrong in this country. Kissell knows. Shuler knows. Edwards knows Jim Webb knows. Yeah, Shuler and Edwards are wealthy...but they EARNED it, and like most the rest of us, they don't have a tax-payer paid health care plan and a lucrative pension plan...and on and on.

As far as committing now or waiting...Edwards didn't announce an "exploratory" committee so he could see how much money he could wring out of folks before he decided to run. He just did it. He put his heart and his beliefs out for all to see...and people are responding...and if a million good folks can each give at least $100...he won't need to twist any arms or be beholding to anyone. Is he perfect? No, but I believe he's our best hope for a better future because he has integrity, a strong sense of fair play, he's damn smart (as is Elizabeth Edwards) and he has proven himself to be a persuasive advocate for what he believes...proven in the court room. He believes in the America we all want...and that has been ripped from us by professional politicians who have never suffered a moment for their own feckless leadership and often self-serving actions.

Sorry...but I needed to say that!