☆ EP For Edwards ☆

Thanks for this endorsement, George. I am with you 100% on this one. While I could wish for better, in the real world Edwards is a good as we are likely to get and he has the distinct advantage of being the strongest candidate against all the Republican wannabees.

Agree on Hillary and Obama. I'll bet a lot of uninformed antiwar Dems still like Hillary. She'll probably win the nomination. Sigh! When Obama said he'd send troops into Pakistan, I knew his antiwar message was bogus.

As for Edwards, he says a lot of good things, but I did wince when I saw the YouTube video of him spending a lot of time on his hair. I'm not a biggot or jerk, but I wondered what effect that has on regular Americans. Seems trivial, but politics is stupid.

No warm feelings whatsoever for Ron Paul? Sure, his domestic programs leave nothing for the poor, but he is far and away the most sincere antiwar and non-interventionist candidate. Isn't rectifying America's deadly foreign policy the first priority of all humanitarians, including 'progressives'? Perhaps you might like to write on this.

Yes, Edwards is the one. I think it unfortunate that the film of his hair primping got out without any comment by him. Lots of people have habits that may look odd taken out of context — just as statements taken out of context can be damning. The film is meaningless in the context of his value as a candidate. I'll vote for him with enthusiasm.

JEG

Looking in from the other side of the Atlantic, my hypothetical vote would go to Ron Paul. He does seem to be the only candidate who isn't either owned by wealthy special interest groups, a hypocrite, or a dunderhead. He's the only one talking about the very real and serious problems facing America. All other candidates are talking sticking plaster, where a genuinely radical approach is required.

Having watched a one hour interview with the good doctor, it's obvious that he would if elected to office temper the more extreme of his libertarian policies with a good deal of pragmatism. He knows that they could not be introduced quickly without producing chaos and a good deal of hardship. He seems to see the introduction of libertarianism as a long term project of which he would be merely the initiator.

Apart from Dennis the Menace, who though laudable in many ways has the charisma of a mole rat, and is thus unelectable, he is the only candidate who has a rock steady commitment to withdrawal from Iraq. For me that's the clincher. I'd swallow the stuff I don't like about radical libertarianism just for that.

Its been interesting to see how the American mainstream media has been attempting to sideline Paul, and it will be instructive to observe how the owners of America eventually get rid of him. He is, of course, out of control and well outside the allowable ideological envelope for high office in the USA.

I just switched my registration from independent to Democrat, planning to vote for Dennis Kucinich in the New Jersey primary. However, when he recommended that his Iowa supporters caucus for Obama, I wished that I had switched to Republican so I could vote for Ron Paul.

I agree with George that Kucinich "doesn't have the stones to be president". I don't care about the charisma part, but he has caved to the Democratic leadership so often, I can't imagine him standing up to them if he was elected.

So, I'll probably vote for Edwards in the primary.

Allan Nairn, said on Democracy Now! that there isn't much difference between any of the candidates, but even a tiny difference results in several thousand fewer innocent people being killed by the United States Empire. This is the only reason I am voting at all.

No leaning towards Ron Paul? He is more qualified than any on the Hill and is highly skilled in economics and medicine; understanding more than any other candidate the issues facing America. I'm really shocked you would favor Edwards over Ron Paul.

I love your podcast, but I'm curious why you'd support Obama now that Edwards has left the race, instead of supporting a Green party candidate (this comment is after hearing the Green grievances episode).

I also don't know what is so objectionable about Hillary Clinton as she doesn't strike me as a lot more corporate than Obama. Either way, the Democrats will get a corporate candidate.