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You see, this is what I was thinking about today, how the war on "terrorism" is likely to merge with the ongoing culture "wars".

Unfortunately, I think that is exactly what is going on. The Dim's world view was formed by their opposition to Vietnam, which split the party in 1968 and sent most of the pro-defense Dems over to our side. They have transferred their adolescent hatred of Nixon and Vietnam to Bush and Iraq, even though there are major differences between Vietnam and Iraq. None of them can articulate a better policy than Bush's other than the vague call for U.N. involvement, which is a tip off that the cause of their hatred is not policy differences, but differences of culture and self-image.

That said, I believe only 20-30% of the electorate is part of that lefty Bush-hating base. The reason for the 50-50 split in 2000 was that Bush was up against in essence an incumbent administration at a time of unprecedented prosperity and peace. The last election like that was 1988 when Bush 41 won in a landslide. It is a testament to Clinton's unpopularity and the minority status of the core left that Gore could not win despite a stiff wind at his back.

I could be wrong, it's happened before, but I think 2004 will be a re-run of 1972, an election when we were at war and an anti-war Dim took on a Republican war President.

"The last election like that was 1988 when Bush 41 won in a landslide."

I admit, I had to google it, but then I realized it was the Dukakis in the Tank photo. And of course, that was one picture = many words, all stating the Dems can't do national security.

And it is never denied (I've never heard it denied) that this is the public's perception. Sort of unfair to Truman and FDR, but certainly true of the dems since vietman, as you correctly point out. Heck, Nixon even lost that war, the problem is the Dems seem happy to lose.

And look at what they are doing now! Everything to shore up their image as national security losers (at best, if not underminers), and nothing to counter it. Wesley Clark's candidacy hasn't helped at all, it's actually makes it worse since he's been such a prop the whole time. He's like the 5 people you put on stage to play "the crowd".

Well, I remain apprehensive, but, as my tagline says, I think the American people DO get it.

I don't think the Dems could get a clue if they hit clue lotto tomorrow.