I've narrowed my choice to Kerry or Clark....

and I'm leaning toward Kerry. Although I think Clark scares the devil out of Bush and the Repubs. I make this choice even though Kerry had all his problems with his campaign this week. I think he is a much better candidate now. He seems to be more aggressive and not as programmed as before.

I understand that Dean has a ton of money and is the odds-on favorite to be the nominee. I like Dean and I give him a lot of credit for steering the Democratic Party toward a more populist message. If he is the nominee, I will have no qualms about supporting him. He is a strong candidate. However, I have slowly come to the conclusion that Kerry is the best man for the job.

I have defended all three of the candidates mentioned above at one time or another on this board. They are all great!

I too support Kerry, but I also like Clark and Dean.
As long as neither of these guys harbor bad feelings at the convention, I'm sure whoever isn't nominated will be a great ally for the fight.
And I'm sure Kerry is going to start to kick ass...

...of having three very viable candidates in Dean, Kerry and Clark. Kerry has managed to dump his DLC handlers, and I expect him to start campaigning like a Democrat now that Ted Kennedy has supplied him with a Democratic campaig nmanager, instead of some GOP lite guy. Clark has a strong military background and a great deal of native intelligence on his side. Dean is campaigning like an old school Democrat, at the grassroots level, bypassing all the legalized bribery that taints the DLC candidates.

I can vote for any of these guys with a clear conscience, even though I doubt Clark would do the Pentagon housecleaning that needs to be done. All of these men are far, far better than Bush.

in any way?

I really take issue with that assessment

I understand that he is not as liberal as some might think, but I think he has been very plain spoken, at least he has perceived to have been, and I think other candidates have been forced to react to Dean's campaign in a lot of ways....

Dean would be a good president.
He may not be as liberal as DK or Kerry, but dammit, Dean would be a MUCH better prez than this douchbag in office now...

But I think the Repubs will be somewhat successful painting Dean as "McGovernite".. However, no matter who the nominee is, the Repubs will attempt to minimize his stature when measured against the great "Dubya".

because he says he is. Dean reminds me alot of Bill O'Reilly in that respect, which is part of why I hate them both so friggin much.

To O'Reilly everyone he disagrees with and all of his enemies are idealogues and he's the only true independant because he says so. To Dean his enemies are bush-lite and he's the only real democrat because he says so.

There both blowhards. They're both false populists

All the candidates have multi-billoion dollar healthcare plans. The war does not make him a populist, he has still not offered a plan for disarming Iraq, which he says he does support.

A populist campaign would put logic over emotion, and solutions over complaining. Dean does the opposite. He's a polarizer.

.

Kerry is clearly the best candidate, and he's the only one other that Clarke who has national security credentials.

But he just comes across too much like he thinks he's entitled to the nomination, and then the presidency- If he still has the same attitude if he gets the nomination, he'll be seen as condescending, and turn people off.
I'm more and more a Clark supporter all the time.

I think Clark has the best chance of beating Dubya, but I am impressed with Dean's grassroot support. I think Kerry is intelligent and would kick Dubya's ass in a debate.

Still pondering.....

my indecision isn't bothering me one bit.

Kicked a few bucks to Dean, Kucinich & Clark so far. My primary's not til late spring, so I have the luxury of aitting back and watching.

The last day of the Republican Convention is scheduled to end exactly on 9/11/04. That should be very telling of their strategy.

I think you're right to make National Security the primary concern in picking a candidate. A Dem. Nom. without strong National Security credentials is going to be at a severe disadvantage. They've given us a clue already with the timing of the Republican Convention.

Kerry and Clark are great candidates, should do well during the general election, and each would implement sound policy once in office, especially on the foreign policy front.

and i have to agree with your assessment.
i think clark would cancel out cheney as the vp candidate on any dem ticket; kerry/clark know where all of the bodies are buried on capitol hill and in the pentagon.
the fox media mentality (touting dean) just doesn't sit well with me.
i also believe that dean is not liberal enough for me. his ties to big medicine, his family's involvement as financial advisors, and his creepy congregationalist religious hoorah just don't do it for me. (google joseph priestley's reasons for leaving the congregational church and joning the unitarians/universalists).
if dean wins the nomination, i will support him, but i don't believe the national dem party will give its war chest to him.

Gephardt?

he only has the support of Blue Collar workers in the Democratic party. Environmentalists? No. Anti-war people? No. Sure, he has heatlh care AND trade strengths, but he stood with Bush on the rose garden as minority leader supporting the American war when 2/3 of his Democratic constitieuents in the House voted against the war resolution.

I think that was very disrespectful of him.

it was smart politics; but, he does need a better record on the environment -- that's a BIG issue that resonates because everybody can understand it.

I don't think he will make, even with his strong union support. Also, I think his unequivocal support in the Rose Garden for the war has hurt him...

Congrats on deciding

Only I favor Clark a little bit more....

I completely agree with your analyze. Based on his record and his experience Kerry is the best man for the job. And, I like Clark's foreign policy expertise and demeanor. They're are both solid candidates, gentlemen, and Bush and co. is petrified of both.