Hard-pressed

I'm more than a bit chagrined to admit that if I had to participate in the Iowa Caucus - or if the election itself were - tomorrow, I would be extremely hard-pressed to make my decision.

There is a great deal I like about both Howard Dean and Wesley Clark; if I knew they'd pair up for the nomination (one as Prez and the other as VP, and I'd even be flexible about which is which), I think my choice would be far easier. But I also respect John Kerry and see some promise in John Edwards. Nor am I as dismissive as most about Dennis Kucinich, who I think has stood bravely on his own. Even Al Sharpton has surprised me; I give him far more credit today than I have in the past.

I knew Carol Mosely-Braun had no chance but she earned my respect for staying strong when so many never counted her in the race at all. I thought her decision to leave the race and toss her support to Dean was very well handled. I'd love to see the day when a woman - and a woman of color at that - can be fully embraced as a candidate.

However, I have no respect at all left for Lieberman. He represented the state where I lived for so long, and I was not crazy happy with him then. Since 9-11, that unhappiness has grown sharply. While I did not like him and did not think he was the best pair-up with Al Gore in 2000, I was glad to see a non-Christian selected. I don't buy that you have to be a white fundamentalist Christian to earn the White House. In fact, I'd go so far as to state flatly that a person with no religious or spiritual ties could perform the job well. After all, we're supposed to be a democracy, not a theocracy.

But, while I'm at it, I wish the first two states to run Democratic tests were not so heavily white in nature. Neither state boasts a high black/Latino or other population.