Saw Gephardt tonight, surprised how much I liked him.

[BrewerJohn]

He spoke to 100 or so at our public library. Slammed Bush hard from start to finish. He's passionate about health care and the economy, "getting rid of" Bush tax cuts to the rich, and was absolutely on fire on trade policy and the exporting of jobs. NAFTA has been "bad for everyone ...it's a disaster...I'll fix it or scrap it". Wants to work hard for energy independence with a large role for renewable energy sources. Finished with a shot at Ashcroft. Something like "worst Attorney General ever...he's fired five seconds after I take the oath".

Afterward we met him, and my wife asked him about Iraq. His answer went, the Bushies are filled with arrogance, he never would have gone in without the UN, but now that we're there we can't just pull out or it would turn into a terrorist training camp, we have to get the UN in to help.

Now, I'm for Kucinich and also like Dean a lot, but I was fairly impressed. I don't know if his health care plan is the best one, and I still have a hard time with anyone who voted for the IWR, so I doubt if I'll be switching to him for the primary season, but if his name is the one on the ballot next November, I'll be more than happy to throw him my vote.

[sfecap]

1. Did he show the picture?

Of him, Lieberman, and the smiling chimp all glad handing in the Rose Garden?

Seemed like he sure liked bush then....what happened?

[bluestateguy]

2. I'll support Gephardt:

for the 1988 Democratic nomination.

[legin]

3. you don't expect it

but he does have the 'gift of the gab'. I saw him on CSPAN once and he does come across well, and i am not a fan to put it exceedingly mildly.

[pa28]

4. I like him

But he failed as minority leader when we needed leadership the most.