This is going to be tough

The first political horserace of the season is done and it was Kerry, Edwards and (way behind) Dean.

Now, I like a good patrician lantern jaw like the next guy, but I don't think Kerry's our guy. Bush's people fight hard, and -- like Gore -- Kerry is imminently qualified but -- like Gore -- he doesn't come off as having the vinegar for a brawl. And it's going to be a Brawl.

I'm not ready to choose yet, but I'm glad to see Gephardt out of it, being a one-world free-trader myself. Lieberman should also be gone gone gone gone gone -- I disagree with him on many of his issues, and I couldn't take four years of his "but you are so unreasonable and I hate you" whiny voice.

This leaves Kerry, Clark, Dean and Edwards.

I'm going to exclude Clark. His Republican history will probably not sell with the Democratic core, and you have to have a core before you get 51%. Sorry Clark -- unless you can get a core somehow, we're parting ways.

No, looking past the nomination, we have to get Republicans as well as Democrats. The bad news is, I don't believe Dean can bring it with an anti-war message. Bush will stand up next to him and paint him a traitor, and it will be a lie and disingenuous, but it will play like "You're no Jack Kennedy". And, as I've said, I don't think Kerry has the heart to bring it, period.

This leaves, by process of elimination, Edwards, who had a surge in the poll because he was endorsed by a well respected Iowan newspaper, and he stayed on a positive message. His Southern heritage is a +, I don't mark his trial lawer status as a minus -- it might even draw out the Bushies on an issue which most Dems don't care about (tort reform). In fact, his background as a trial lawyer no doubt gives him the ability to bring it when it's time -- a scrappy fighter, I'm expecting.

If Edwards lead a ticket with Dean on, that would be enough to secure the core and put in the top spot a guy which would be attractive to Southern Democrats, while keeping Dean's organization involved to energize a traditionally passive voting block (youngens).

So, my call today is for Edwards/Dean.