More the competency model of leadership.

I don't care what social class or ethnic group they come from.

Every failing that occurred in the Iraq War was known and clearly described prior. There was "debate" in the Senate and House (unlike following 911), but so much of the administrations testimony and repitition by proponents was overtly fraudulent, that many regard the Bush administrations' behavior as impeachable as a direct crime of office.

I think it is no coincidence that people like Colin Powell, who previously was regarded as a prospective first black presidential candidate is nowhere to be seen.

He acted like a general (taking orders from presidential chain of command) rather as a secretary of state, as an example.

Somebody probably assured him that "everything will work out, and we will make sure that your career will stop abruptly if you don't do your singly loyal job".

One caller pointed to Charles Lindbergh, because, in his opinion, Lindbergh was totally against the war. Yet, once his nation was at war, he volunteered to serve in an air combat role. The caller was not Philip Roth.

Is it ever wise to follow and fund someone afflicted with a traumatic neurosis?

Isn't that what ordinary Germans once did?

Hillary, like her peers at that time, had access to the full Intel before voting to attack Iraq. She chose to skim a brief put out
by BushCo. Ron Paul read the full report. His speech gainst attacking Iraq is available on the internet.

"His eloquence was real because his words gave definition and meaning to the major issues of our time. He was particularly effective in expressing this nation's foreign policy. He made no
demagogic statements… While some felt he may have talked over the heads of some people, he was uncompromising in being himelf. His was a great campaign and did credit to the party and the nation. He did not appeal to the weakness but to the strength of people. He did not trade principles for votes."

Does/will this sound more like Hillary, McCain, or Obama?

It's Truman's take on Stevenson.

Of course Ike beat him in 1952, campaigning under the slogan
"Time For A Change."

This time around, though, it's the Republicans who've been in office too long.

But why was Colin Powell the only one to have to take the fall?

Yes, he went to the UN with a pack of lies: Unforgiveable.

But no, he didn't sign any of PNAC's documents.

If we had a legitimate media doing real journalism, every name of every signatory of those PNAC documents would be nuclear.

Elliot Abrams probably wouldn't have a job in the administration working in the Middle East. Bolton the Brief wouldn't have been in at the UN. Bill Kristol would be writing a blog for Pajamas media, not a regular opinion editorial in the New York Times.

Instead nearly every PNAC signatory rode their participation there, plotting American imperial war in Mesopotamia and elsewhere, to greater career successes.

Robust versus irrational exhuberance.

Ponzi.