In a comment from mstabile I was asked a question I figured would be better answered out here:

Are you leaning towards any of the current Democratic candidates? If so, towards whom and why?

Before I answer that I'd just like to reiterate a sentiment that a great many progressive people are feeling, and probably some conservatives, too. We have a president in the White House right now who is both radical and incompetent, and I fear for our country if he skates into another four years without any more re-election anxieties to inhibit him. That being the case, even if the Democratic candidate ended up being Ron Jeremy, he would get my enthusiastic support. Along those lines, I would ask those of the Green and Libertarian persuasions: While I wholeheartedly agree with you that our 2-party system desperately needs to be shaken up, you need to be realistic on this one, hold your nose, and join the rest of the progressive-thinking community in rallying around a candidate who has a real chance of dethroning this president. I know if nobody ever votes 3rd party they will never gain prominence, but this time ideology simply must give way to urgency.

Anyway, I think it's way too early for me to have a solid opinion about any of the candidates, and also too early to get a sense of who has the best chance of beating Bush, but given that here's how I'm feeling at the moment...

I definitely like Dean and Kucinich's politics, and I applaud them for showing leadership to the rest of the democratic party on how to stomp on Bush's house of cards, in my opinion a much more effective approach than the DNC's "silent desperation" strategy. I think they've both tapped into something a lot of people were subconsciously starved for, but Dean just has a better organized camp, and I'm afraid mainstream American people unfortunately just aren't ready for someone like Kucinich who is that honest with them.

Clark is interesting, though I have to say I'm a little concerned by his dodgy anti-war stance.

I think Kerry and Gephardt are both "business as usual" politicians riding the anti-war bandwagon, and I just can't seem to get excited about either of them.

I really like Edwards a lot. He has a "JFK-like" charisma that is really refreshing, especially after a couple years of listening to Bush stammer through his speeches. Unfortunately he doesn't have much cash, although maybe a win in South Carolina would put him back on the map.

I think Braun is really intelligent, but neither she, Graham, nor Sharpton are on my radar screen.

As far as Lieberman, I don't like his politics, and I think he's a jerk.