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Willravel, you may be interested to know that I voted for Harry Browne for President in 2000. Fat lot of good it did me.
"Electability" to me is a trap. I remember in April 2004 at my law school reunion speaking with a friend I hadn't seen since law school who is a die-hard lefty. I told her that I thought the Democratic party is making a big mistake nominating John Kerry, and that perceived electability is not the best way to choose a candidate - Kerry had all the charm of a tree stump and a fairly sordid history of attacking the US military that was going to come home to roost during the campaign, and all the medals in the world wouldn't save him. Not to pat myself on the back but it turned out I was right that time. Kerry got all the anti-Bush votes and the traditional Democratic votes, but couldn't get anyone excited about voting for him, which is why he lost - a less calculating, more genuine and more likable candidate probably could have won. Kerry got the nomination because the primary voters perceived that since he was a war hero he was inoculated against national-security criticism, which is wrong - George McGovern was a war hero too. FDR was not but no one ever questioned his national security chops. There was a serious misreading of the national mood by the Democratic primary electorate in 2004.
Now I'll contradict myself: the best Dem candidate is Bill Richardson. He has actually run something (state of NM) and has foreign policy experience too. He oozes gravitas. And he's Hispanic. Why isn't he getting more attention?
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