"As soon as Bush is officially a lame duck, we clearly need John McCain and other moderates to take back the Republican Party. I know that this sounds naieve to many who think that it is impossible to turn back the power of religious fundamentalists in the party, but I disagree. And in the Democratic Party, they still haven't cleaned house. The party is still risk-averse, clinging to a 50%-plus-one attititude, which keeps it from appealing to the passions and hopes of those who want more from national leaders. And yes, I'll add to the mantra -- the Dems have been abysmally slow and ineffective in the manufacturing and production of "new ideas." There have been some gains -- but Dems need to unclog their arteries. I really don't care if the White House is held by a Republican or Democratic president if that president reflects the best interests of a broad cross section of the public and manages public interests and goals honorably and competently. But right now, both parties are deeply flawed and controlled by forces that inhibit the leadership Americans deserve from coming to the helm. In my view, it seems easier to hijack and redirect the Democratic Party towards great purposes than the Republican establishment. And I worry that if John McCain, whom I very much like, got the Republican Party nomination, he'd have to swallow George Allen or Jeb Bush in the Vice Presidential slots. If he sent either of these two off to work on highway beautification, or inner-city crime problems, perhaps we could live with that. But we can never again accept or tolerate a Vice President of Dick Cheney's ilk. - - - Steve Clemons

Agree with this I do.