I've doggedly avoided any mention of next year's political race, since I'm already weary of the saturation of coverage. But as to the question of how I'll cast my vote, at this point, I don't know. As I address my criteria for a Commander-in-Chief, in view of current events, I must answer with negatives:
- I won't vote for anyone who, by word or deed, demoralizes our troops.
- I won't vote for anyone who, by word or deed, encourages our enemies.
- I won't vote for anyone who calls the commanding general of our armed forces a liar--no matter how elegantly the accusation is phrased.
- I won't vote for anyone whose agenda is angling for a U.S. defeat.
- I won't vote for anyone who disparages good news from our field of battle.
- I won't vote for anyone who rejoices in bad news from the same.
I'm not on fire about any of the current crop of potential candidates. In my opinion, they all have issues that will hamper their efforts to win. It remains to be seen whose name will be next to my ink-filled circle come November 2008. But already, I know whose names I've eliminated from my private ballot.
