Michael, to answer your questions:

1) Howard Dean - I don't know, I really haven't thought it through, it's just a feeling but if anyone I think it might be Gephardt. Of all of the Dems the only one with any sense or decency is Lieberman (although he lost my respect in the 2000 election by campaigning against pretty much everything he had supported in the senate up to that point) and he will not be the candidate.

2) Congressional spending - I have no problems with the money spent on the war effort, it is quite necessary in my opinion. I do have problems with all of the spending on social programs (Americorps, Medicare drug benefits, etc). I am a big supporter of President Bush, but a fiscal conservative he ain't.

3) John Kerry - I obviously don't like him. I don't know if it is well covered over there, but he pretty much finishes every statement by mentioning his Vietnam service. OK, that's an exaggeration but he repeated it ad nauseum until even the press corps was ridiculing him. The "F'ing" part refers to his dropping the F-bomb in an interview and a play on his middle initial. I actually think he is probably the most despicable of the current crop of Democratic candidates and that is saying a lot.