673Getting Political

Democrats caucus in Colorado. I've been a slacker about attending these in the past because the nomination has already been decided before the caucus date since I moved here in 1993. It looks like it's going to be an interesting process. At the very least I'll get to hang out with my activist neighbors for the evening and visit the Junior High School that my daughter would attend should we stay in this end of Fort Collins.

I would have liked to see Republicans pick a kook like Huckabee or a patent phony like Romney, but it seems like they are going to select the strongest of their options after all. McCain doesn't demonize minorities and immigrants, he's not anti-science, he's sensible about climate change and the environment, he's taken a stand against state use of torture (including the shameful and criminal torture practiced by agents of the US), and the media fluffs him like there's no tomorrow. He can run hard to the center in the general election without losing credibility with the right-wing base -- he's got the magical "Maverick" card -- and that will make him extremely hard to beat.

While McCain may be less terrible than his peers, he's still far from me on important issues, and I'll be voting against him. For me, the choice of who to vote for comes down to "electability". I admire both Clinton and Obama, but I think Obama is the better Democratic candidate this year, this campaign. His youth contrasts well against McCain's age, and I can't help but feel that the Republican base won't fire up against him quite as hotly as they would against Clinton. It's going to be a close election, and every single-issue Clinton-hating voter that stays on the bench counts.

Ha! The Denver Post feels differently about McCain. Probably a Colorado River rivalry thing.