the rix mix

Senators Dodd & Biden quit the race, no surprise. Chris Dodd, always a no-chance candidate, eventually made a lot of us wonder if he was really the best of the bunch. But how often does the best win? Smart, experienced, with evidence of that rarer attribute, wisdom. A Roman Catholic married to a Mormon, he joked that his was a "two cult family," the perfect attitude toward the over-heated religiosity in politics today. He should get a prime time speech at the convention - not that it's the marquee occasion it used to be. Participation in the Iowa Democratic caucuses nearly doubled, & 70% rejected Hillary Clinton or whatever Clinton politics represent. We shall soon see if there's a genuine wave of change among the ranks & fellow travellers of the Party. Have to keep in mind that few of those new participants usually stick around for the envelope-stuffing & chicken dinner fundraisers. Come next fall, would the Democratic machines put out for Edwards or Obama like they would for Clinton?

& what is it I don't like about Hillary? That less than 24 hours after she's on stage with hubby Bill & Madeline Albright in Iowa, she shows up in New Hampshire surrounded by young people. You want change, she'll change the wrapping paper.

The Repugs got who they deserved: An undisguised flat-earth religionist lifted to victory by large turnout of the kind of white, rural protestants who think root beer is too stimulating. They kicked the asses of the neocons & quasi-libertarians & anyone else who believes the Repugs are a balanced wingnut alliance. If those folks coalesce as a popular movement for Huckabee, ignoring the various endorsements of their many self-annointed leaders, they'll prove their strength once again.

Labels: THE election