An apology from a Bush voter
 

http://www.kabc.com/mcintyre/listing...in+the+Morning


interesting read

He's definitely entitled to his opinion...

I've heard way too many horror stories about Kerry to ever vote for him for anything, let alone President, and I wouldn't have voted for a candidate from one of the other parties, so my vote wouldn't have changed.

My reading of the piece is more that he thinks there is a lack solid presidential candidates in the two party system. It almost seems like he's trying to pick up brownie points with listeners with his first rant against Bush, before he gets to the point of the piece.

He's not alone.

No, he's not alone. The real questions are why and how do we change it? I honestly believe that both parties and the media so viciously dissect every particle of a candidate's life that few are willing to put themselves in that position.

Perhaps the automatic assumption that an incumbent should be the only candidate is part of the problem too. We are facing that in a Michigan Governor's race. I'm not pleased with Jennifer Granholm's performance in this state, but the Republican candidate is far too conservative for me to tolerate the idea of him in office. Yet, Jennifer is the Democratic candidate and there's no getting around that.

Will it help that in the 2008 Presidential race, nobody will be an incumbent President or Vice President? It should make things more interesting, if nothing else.

I realize that - this talk has been going on at least since Bush/Gore, and probably before that (although that's when it heated up).

A big part of it has to be the fundraising aspect. It's a lot easier (and more cost-efficient) to throw money behind one candidate than to be spreading it around, right down to convention day. From that point of view, it makes more sense to have a candidate in mind well before the delegates cast their votes. I know big donors sometimes throw small amounts behind a bunch of candidates, but they want to know sooner or later who to give the big money to for the election.

I could be wrong though; my own political experience is rather limited.

No, I think you're probably right -- at least in part.