This Is What I'm Finding So Fascinating about the Primary Run-Up

You all know that I'm an Obama supporter from days of yore. I was, in fact, one of those prodigal primary voters who returned to the fold to specifically cast my vote for him over the rest of his U.S. Senate Democratic competitors. (Normally, I'm way too lazy to vote in primaries.) So I'm watching his increased momentum with excitement and satisfaction, to be sure.

And despite the grumbling I'm reading from others, I think his positive message of "hope" and "change" is a smart approach that positions him for a seamless transition to address the general electorate. As satisfying as it feels to get the base charged up to defeat the evil on the other side, it's an approach that only takes you so far--witness 2004. People want to be a part of something larger than themselves. They want to be proud to be Americans, and with Republicans trying to brand patriotism (and turn it into nationalism), it's terrific for Democrats to take it back. In addition, negativity also doesn't allow you to attract anyone who isn't already part of your coalition. It's possible that I'm being optimistic, but I've heard enough disgruntlement just among my acquaintances who have supported Republicans in past (but who aren't insane or being paid to shill for the current administration) to lead me to believe that there are folks who are persuadable.

Truly, though, I think Edwards or Clinton are also solid choices, and I will enthusiastically support whoever comes out on top for the general election. For a bunch of reasons, I think the Democrats are in a fantastic position. They may be disagreeing over policy and candidates, but it feels like they're motivated and engaged, as demonstrated by turnout in Iowa.

And this brings me to the stark contrast to the shambles that is the current Republican field. The uneasy coalition of the social conservatives, the racists/xenophobes, and the tax cutters appears to be fraying, and all the extremist groups that the Republicans have pandered to over the years without delivering too much appear to be coming to collect.

I'd thought about this in vague terms, but this clarifies it even further for me, illustrating the free-for-all aspect, as well as the contrast between how past two-term presidencies have dealt with appointing the next standard-bearer for the party versus the Bush administration's complete absence from this process.

It's striking how many of this year's GOP hopefuls were guys who would have had zero chance, who wouldn't have even made it through the money primaries, in any other year. The very motliness of the crew is a testament to the fact that the center is no longer holding -- because if it were, they wouldn't be there. A functional Bush regime would have picked a successor, and used the past four years to position him for a win. The fact that that didn't happen is yet another testament to their looming failure. Nobody's interested in continuing their policies. Nobody even wanted so much as their blessing.

Not even Wall Street will fund the GOP now -- their money's flowing into Hillary's war chest instead. Not even the Religious Right, finally having reached the limits of their forgiveness, will suck up and take another compromise. On January 20, 2009, the GOP as we've known it since the mid-70s will pack up their ball and go home to patch their wounds.

Not that anything is certain, but I'm feeling pretty positive about 2008.