wasn't the new republic a liberal mag?

Sorry, I know I haven't posted for a week. I'm afraid I've been sick and the only thing which sufficiently inspired me was the Baseball Hall of Fame voting, and I know you guys don't care about that so no reason to waste all of our time. Which actually inspired another topic, but I'm still thinking about that.

But I wanted to write something. I've been reading politics blogs for a few days. Specifically, Talking Points Memo and Atrios. Which largely leaves me feel incapable of adding anything useful to the discussion of reading their stuff. But one thing prompted me.

The New Republic endorsed Joe Lieberman?

Seriously? Lieberman?

Look, I thought Lieberman was an acceptable if flawed VP candidate back in 2000. Yeah, he was conservative, but it balanced out Gore's liberal credentials. Until, of course, some people decided to pretend Gore had no liberal credentials and others tried to pretend Lieberman did. He was a balance for the ticket, but no someone I'd vote for on his own. Al Gore seems to agree. He's too conservative to energize the party's core. Its just that simple. And everyone knows it, which is why he won't get the nod. He's not going to get a majority. Not even in his own state. He's dead in the water. That's why Gore wasn't worried about pissing him off by endorsing Dean.

What on EARTH is TNR thinking? I thought they were a liberal publication anyway. Do they know who Joe Lieberman is? Hey, you don't have to like Dean, but why not stelth-Dem Wes Clark? Or nuanced policy wonk John Kerry? Or as long as we're picking people who can't win, what's wrong with principled and charasmatic moderate John Edwards who is much more the natural decendant of Clinton dems than Joe can ever hope to be. Don't get me wrong. I'd vote for Joe if he was my party's nominee. But I don't need to worry about that.

What's worse about the futility of the endorsement is the way TNR belittled Dean to the point of making it seem like they'd endore Bush if Dean won the election. Their whole approach seems to miss the point of the primary season. Solidfy support from the liberal base and then make the mainstream appeal after. Gore forgot that in 2000 and it killed him. Bush didn't. Remember him sucking up to Bob Jones U? Dean, love him or hate him, has energized a lot of people who wouldn't be participating in the process. And he has the credentials to establish himself as a mainstream candidate. He's not McGovern, for crying out loud. I'm really getting sick of people in my party treating him like that, because they're doing damage.

I still don't know who has my vote. I'm still not all that impressed with Dean but I'll probably vote for him in the primary. Kerry has lost me completely and I'm still wary of Clark and his habit of voting Republican. I'm mildy impressed with Edwards, but only mildly and no one seems to be with me on that. Besides, I doubt he'll still be on the ballot when Mass gets to vote. No one in hell I'm voting for Lieberman or Gephardt if they are still clinging on. Not that I would, but Dennis, Al, and Carol will be long-gone so I'm not even worried about them. Well, maybe not Al, but he'll be on life-support.

So, now that I've bored you all with politics, just remember. I could have been talking about Paul Molitar.