I'd be more gleeful if that energized base didn't want me relegated to second class citizen (or just done away with altogether). I don't think Huckabee has much chance of winning overall, but the people racing out of their prayer meetings to vote for him can do a lot of harm voting for local politicians and ordinances in general elections based on who gives the most lip service to the Old Testament.

I saw that Crooks & Liars pointing out that Paul is the Forgotten Candidate on Fox News -- he did a significant 4th in the GOP contest (better than Giulani), but didn't hardly get mentioned, most especially in the graphs that illustrated the percentages of the vote.

I find myself suddenly tilting towards Edwards as a viable candidate that I could support. But basically, I'll vote for ANY Democratic candidate who wins the nomination.

One thing that bugs me most about Huckabee is that a couple of times in an interview he has made some comment about how he is the one who gets all the religious questions as if he is being picked on because of his religion. I dunno, maybe you're getting the questions because you've made being more Christian (whatever that really means) that everybody else in the race a central theme of your campaign.

happy birthday Ita!

My boss is driving me crazy, because she is such a big Guiliani fan. She thinks he is the only one who is qualified, and I am not sure why I think he isn't (as I tend to discount all Repubs), but it is really because the NYCers here don't like him. I figure that if you have been living with him and don't like him, I won't like him if he is President.

The only person I like, really is Kuchinich, but I will vote Edwards in the primary, as he seems the most genuine of the "big three" Dems.

What do people think of proportional representation in the States? I was thinking yesterday that if I only had an either/or choice I don't know what I'd do.

I think more parties would be a good thing. I'd like to see instant runoff elections where you can vote for at least a second choice. Then if a marginal party like the Green, Libertarian, or Reform runs a candidate I like, I don't feel like I'm throwing away my vote if I vote for him or her. It would make having other parties a lot more viable.

Giulani has most of the craziest NeoCons integral to his campaign staff, which would disqualify him even if he wasn't a hateful, autocratic troll.

She thinks he is the only one who is qualified

I kinda think of Guiliani as the least qualified of the Republicans. I'd see McCain as the most qualified.

I'm not sure why Giuliani thinks he has foreign policy experience. Among other things.

I dunno, maybe you're getting the questions because you've made being more Christian (whatever that really means) that everybody else in the race a central theme of your campaign.

I think it was Charlie Pierce on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me a couple of weeks ago who was hilarious about the "controversy" about there maybe being a cross in Huckabee's "Merry Christmas" ad? He was like, "Huckabee is telling everyone to have an extra Jesus-y Christ-mas, and people are concerned about a possibly hidden cross???"

I think she is just following what Fox News tells her. The thing is, she is actually a really independent thinker, so I could probably convince her he is an autocratic troll if I had, you know, actual facts. But I tend to do things based on feelings, not facts, and I tend to not pay attention to the Republican candidates because I just get angry.