Please allow me to interrupt the caterwalling betwixt the Clinton and Obama loyalists for a brief public service announcement:

We need a different candidate for President and one that isn't Hillary or Barack.

Both of our candidates are weak and clearly have the potential to lose to McCain in November because of their glaring vulnerabilities and weaknesses.  Yes, both could win, but given the close outcomes when the two are matched against McCain at this point it appears just as likely that either of them could lose in November.  It never fails that the Democrats lead at the start of the November race and that margin shrinks the closer we get to election day.  In most cases in modern memory the lead disappears and the enemy wins the White House.  Can we really afford to allow this to happen simply because we've gotten stuck with these two?  I think not.  I hope not.  It's time to look for an alternative that produces a better result from voters that isn't purely about the ego of the candidates themselves and of their loyalists.

Now, given the fact that since 2001 we have been ruled by the most illegitimate, incompetent, and corrupt adminsitration in our history, it seems to me 2008 oughtta be one helluva Democratic year.  The top of the ticket should smash that Republicans big time and lead the party from top to bottom to huge gains across the board in every state and city.  But with either of these two centrist/corporate Democratic choices the best we can hope for is to survive November by barely meeting an ancient and addled right wing nut.  Neither bests McCain convincingly.  I wouldn't call that a very desirable position for us to be in right now compared to the position we should be in.

The time has come for people to wake up and smell the centrism and look for another choice for President! 

We should have a candidate who can unite all Democrats of all races, genders, economic classes and one who is not beholden to corporate interests and who understands that we must actually address the major issues confronting the nation once elected.  This new candidate needs to be someone who also understands the only way to actually get anything done on things like the economy, the war, global warming/climate change, national health care, expanding educational opportunities and addressing the needs of the poor is to win big in November in an historic landslide victory.  That means they would have to take the gloves off and go toe to toe not just with the GOP candidate, but with the corporate media and with all those who continue to advocate the policies of weakness and capitulation DC Democrats apparently love.

Neither Clinton nor Obama, at this point, appears to be in a position to win enough elected delegates to actually secure the nomination.  It would seem to me entirely reasonable given this important fact, and the divisions that have been growing in the party, to be looking right now for a third candidate who will be stronger than either of them against McCain.

Anyone who can fit this bill is okay by me.  I don't have a preferred new candidate.  But the first step that needs to be taken is to acknowledge that neither Clinton nor Obama are strong candidates in the fall and that their weaknesses in November threaten Democratic victory and thus Democratic policy aims across the board.