Wild-eyed radicals

Spent the weekend immersed in politics.

Met Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas at a book signing for "Crashing the Gate" in Asheville, NC.

Markos pans Hillary Clinton's presidential chances in today's Washington Post for being decidedly un-Deanlike:

We didn't back him [Dean] because he was the most "liberal" candidate. In fact, we supported him despite his moderate, pro-gun, pro-balanced-budget record, because he offered the two things we craved most: outsider credentials and leadership.

And therein lie Hillary Clinton's biggest problems. She epitomizes the "insider" label of the early crowd of 2008 Democratic contenders. She's part of the Clinton machine that decimated the national Democratic Party...

Afraid to offend, she has limited her policy proposals to minor, symbolic issues -- such as co-sponsoring legislation to ban flag burning. She doesn't have a single memorable policy or legislative accomplishment to her name. Meanwhile, she remains behind the curve or downright incoherent on pressing issues such as the war in Iraq...

The last thing we need is yet another Democrat afraid to stand on principle.

Coincidentally, we spent the rest of the weekend in a Dean spin-off, the Democracy for America Training Academy learning how political campaigns work. Among the lefty activists in attendance were some of the wild-eyed, foaming-at-the-mouth radicals of conservative legend: a grandmother from north of Hickory, NC who is running for the state house of representatives; the pro-life Democrat county chair of Henderson County; and the couple who spends weekends canvassing and repairing playgrounds in their mostly Republican county (in which most elected offices are now held by Democrats thanks to their efforts).

Will these America haters stop at nothing?

Jury duty on Tuesday.

UPDATE:
I highly recommend the DFA training course.