Raucous Caucus

So the Iowa Caucuses are tomorrow, and I'll admit that I'm filled with trepidation, and rightly so. This weird ass not-really-a-primary is going to set the tone for the primary season, and it's going to give someone in both parties a real shot at being "The (Wo)Man". And that's exactly why I'm apprehensive. This time around, there's a clear difference, at least in my mind, between the Democratic candidates. Of the three most realistic choices, Edwards, Clinton, and Obama, only Obama has garnered favorable opinion on both sides of the political spectrum here in America. You want to see a "uniter, not a divider"? He's it. Give him the nomination and not only will he be a historic president (honestly, what Republican could beat him without resorting to dirty and ugly tactics that, quite frankly, everyone is tired of), but he'll be one most likely to return some civility and, dare I say it, accountability to Washington. So why am I getting a sickening feeling in my stomach that the caucus goers in Iowa aren't going to see this?

Make no mistake, I'm voting for whatever Dem gets the nomination. I've yet to see a Republican in this race who doesn't make me ill or apoplectic with rage. But I really, really don't want it to come down to Clinton vs. Terrible Republican, because I know it'll be the worst presidential campaign ever that'll just make me even more bitterly partisan than before. Edwards is all right, but between the stigma of his previous defeat and the ultra populist message, I'm afraid he's going to be only slightly better. But how do the Republicans attack Obama? Lack of experience? He's weathering that pretty easily so far. The only attacks I can see that may work, sadly, will be ethnocentric and racist. His candidacy will be a real question of whether we, as a country, are really moving towards the color-blind, accepting society we claim to be. And the first part of the country that gets to weigh in is...Iowa.

I want to believe that Iowa will step up and make the truly progressive choice. That they'll vote to put forward a candidate that isn't part of the old guard, but the new school. That they really do want change and take their role as the vanguard seriously. I really, really hope that tomorrow night I can say that Iowa made the right choice. It's not a very high hope. =\







Oh, and go Romney because, seriously, fuck Huckabee and his sanctimonious fundy ass. In fact, go Giuliani...Obama would destroy him in a national election.