For me the Constitution has been the over-riding issue. Character the basic principle. And Health Care and the War most in need of repair.

I put these together and it spells: Obama. ♪ ♬

Edwards was first choice with Obama as VP, but ain't to be. So, on to Plan B. I've voted but will stay mum (I wreaked enough havoc on the front page; I'm chillin'). As for dinner, left over spaghetti bake thingy with too much cheese and not enough sauce (I hate to throw stuff out, even when it sorta sucks ;-) Might heat up some garlic breadsticks.

"I'm voting for Edwards, as it may serve to remind the other two to keep focused on real issues.

After 8 years of W, I am convinced that policy matters a lot more than personality, or media hype."

Amen to that. If Hillary or Barack wins in November, on Inauguration a whole lot of us will feel better about our country.

The question is what then, the day after? Those of us who have worked as staff in the US Congress know it's very much a grind-it-out, reaching out, harvesting Congressional votes kind of process. Notably unromantic. Watching the sausage get made is unpretty. Members of Congress are often romantic about themselves and their own narrative, but rarely so about others in government. And a lot of them are not especially willing followers. They've been told their whole lives they are leaders--some of them are but in a Congressional context where each of them has 534 peers many, inevitably, are not especially influential with their colleagues. That makes them kind of ornery and cranky about following the latest Messiah in the Oval Office or wherever.

You're right--good policy will make much more of a difference in whether the American Dream becomes accessible to many more of our fellow citizens than how inpirational or charismatic the occupant of the Oval Office is. Those factors are not, of course, entirely unrelated to one another, and for young women and people of color having a role model to look up to is symbolically very important.

The major question for me, though, is who is more likely to be able to get us some halfway decent policy in this country? Like Tom Wright I keep coming back to, in addition to winning the presidency obviously, the makeup of the next Congress. It doesn't do you much good to dream big dreams as a young person if the school you are going to cannot provide you with the kind of education and contacts you'll need to develop opportunities for yourself. Or if you have debilitating asthma which your family can't afford to get treated because you don't have health insurance.