When this race started I planned on backing Dean and than backing someone else after Dean failed to make it to the WA caucus. I used to live in VT and I thought Dean did a good job getting things passed that improved VT (health coverage for children and success by six were two of the bigger ones for me). In the beginning I suspected I would switch to Kerry. Since then Kerry has really unimpressed me. I will still happily vote for him in Nov, but I would happily vote for almost anyone with a chance of beating Bush.
I have warmed up to Clark and Edwards and if Dean has dropped out by WA (I really doubt he will have) I may vote for one of them. But, even if Dean doesn't look like he is going to win I will still vote for him, because of his stance on the war. I'm not posting to argue if Dean has been completely consistent on the war or if he is really is a true anti-war candidate. To my ears Dean is the only one who has argued loudly against the war -- Clark is against it, but he doesn't seem loud about it. Maybe being loud about it is a bad tactic for the election, but I'm worried that when Dean is gone the argument about the war will become how bad Bush messed up the occupation. The history books will have been written and the problem with invading Iraq will only be that we didn't plan very well.
I believe that people who volunteer for the military are doing it to defend this country (they probably have other reasons, but I think that is a big one -- I don't have any data to back this up). I don't think the invasion of Iraq can be justified in defending this country. I find it morally reprehensible to send these people off to die unnecessarily for some other reason. If people want an unnecessary war to be fought than they should be the first people we send off. Dean and I may not see eye to eye on the use of the milirary or we might, but if Dean leaves any hope of a national conversation on the justification of this war disappears (unless Clark becomes a lot more vocal about it). Maybe I am just being naive and idealistic, but I believe in individualality and the right of everyone to live their life to their full potential and sending someone to die, be it to war or the electric chair disturbs me, because death is about as ultimate as it gets.
This entry is a little unpolished, so I'll end with this:
Even if I had no other reason to vote for him I hope Howard Dean stays around as long as possible, so the war doens't become justified so easily.