Reply #29: For many of us it isn't idealogical purity.

[diamondsoul]

I explained in another thread, there are two things I want to see out of a candidate in this race- things we've been without for three long and utterly appalling years now.

1) Integrity- I mean real straightforward honesty plus as clean a campaign as they can manage. There are five that I see that in, and in order of the strength of their integrity so far-

Dennis Kucinich
Al Sharpton
Carol Mosley Braun
John Edwards
Joe Lieberman (Joe hasn't run the cleanest campaign if some of the allegations are true but when it comes to his positions you have to admit he's honest.)

Normally I'd have Clark in there too, except I don't think he's given me enough information to determine his integrity, if that makes sense. No offense to Clark supporters intended, I just believe he could have done better at kicking off his run than he has to date. I should say I personally believe in his integrity, but that's because of past contact with him so I don't feel it should apply to this assessment.

2) Real leadership even when that leadership is facing serious opposition.

Four candidates fit the second bill

Dennis Kucinich
Al Sharpton
John Kerry
Joe Lieberman

Yes people, "Holy Joe" has a pretty good track record if you look at it overall, and in this campaign he's come out strong and sure of his positions whether I agree with them or not. That's leadership.

You'll not the changes in the names which appear in each list, I'm sure. I'm unconvinced of Kerry's integrity at this time, again, no offense to Kerry supporters intended. At this point he and Clark are tied for my second choice, Edwards right behind them.

You'll also note the one name appearing on both my top criteria lists is the man I chose to support. I have second and third choices, however if none of them win, I'm undecided about what I'll do.

Why? Because electing the others won't change anything. Oh it might slow the progress of the disease the Bush administration has planted in the body of this country. Maybe. If we're lucky. But it isn't going to restore the limbs they've managed to amputate that connected us with the rest of the world. We've got more enemies now than we've ever had, by my estimate and without some serious changes, we're going to be walking around with targets on our backs for generations to come. You think the tales coming out of the ME are bad? Just wait and see.

Some of us don't focus on just ourselves or even our own country. Some of us are thinking about the future of the entire human race when we look at this election. You want to narrow your perspective, go right ahead, but please don't accuseme of not caring because I can't just fall in line when I know millions, indeed billions of other people are suffering because of the Resident in Thief, and when I know that probably won't change unless specific people are elected to lead us out of hell.