I'm all for electibility, and I'm all for change.

I'm all for points of law and for justice.
I'm all for a government organization transparent enough that I can have even the tiniest shread of confidence in their motives and what they do or do not "know".
I'm also for a tax strategy that doesnt outrageously favor the ultra rich.
And I'm for innovative approaches to healthcare and the funding of it.
I'm for fiscal responsibility.
Also, I'm for investment in education (very fiscally responsible), a woman's right to choose, and civil unions.

Dean talks about these things. but it appears you're right, I'm not the general public. Its been pointed out in the press that he's got that vein that pops, so he's not presidential enough.

You should read "Perfectly Legal" by David Cay Johnston. It's a great investigation of this problem - plus, my dad is quoted twice in it.

Well, that's how politics just IS. You can get some of what you want, but never ever all of it. Change is not generally possible when the majority is content. Difficult change requires charismatic leaders to promote it.

And when you get the perfect candidate, making the perfect speeches, with the right level of concern about the issues that you really care about, you'll only be disappointed when they don't deliver anyway; or when what they do deliver is endlessly politicized until it doesn't resemble the original concept.

That's the system we live with until we can figure out a better one... which we haven't, yet.

The Dean candidacy made some sense on the grounds that, first, he was opposed to the war in Iraq; second, he wanted to balance the budget; third, he was a good civil libertarian supporting gay civil unions, First Amendment rights, and other issues; and, fourth, he supported gun rights, which made him a refreshing oddity among Democrats.here

I don't see how the Dems can beat Bush as long as folks are willing to suspend disbelief over the insanity going on right now. To get my vote a candidate has to be fiscally responsible and not a war-mongering nutjob. Those guys are few and far between but Dean is about as good as the DP can muster. I'm not sure having the Democrat faithful guess about who is electable is a valuble strategy...