NYT: My Crossover Vote (Conservatives considering rooting for Democratics)

[Robbien]

By DAVID BROOKS

Published: January 17, 2004

Conservatives like me don't get a vote in Democratic primaries, but we do have an interest. Even we frothing right-wingers know that the country needs a serious and responsible Democratic Party to counter the Republicans when they need countering, and beat them when they need beating.

So with the first actual votes about to be cast, I've been figuring out whom to root for. I've graded the candidates in three categories.

INTEGRITY/LEADERSHIP By this stage in the 1992 race, Bill Clinton's character flaws were already evident. None of this year's candidates seem to have any of those sorts of problems. But are they true to their convictions? Would they improve the tone in Washington?

Gephardt, A He's a man of integrity, who, putting his career at risk, has stuck tenaciously to his positions on the war, trade and the working class. Also, he's an experienced and fair-minded legislator.

and the consideration goes on:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/17/opinion/17BROO.html?hp

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Why do I just not take Mr. Brooks at all seriously?

Thanks for your input, David, but we'll throw the squatter out of the White House with a candidate of our choice.

[MasonJar]

2. The man is an ass.

He was on Lehrer news hour last night and was discussing the dem candidates there too. Clearly he dislikes Dean; wonder why. He was off to Iowa to be with the other so-called news media. I am sure the candidates would prefer he stay home. Do we get to send our guys to report on Shrub? We might, but they would be relegated to the free (haha) zones.

[question everything]

3. But he likes Edwards, as does the DM Register

And Joel Klein in TIME http://www.time.com/time/election2004/columnist/klein/article/0,18471,574861,00.html has a similar observation, that "Clinton died half a dozen times in 1992 and always showed a winning resilience. "