[inquest]

Even though you can't predict what turn the discussions would take, can you speculate? It's true that things can change in 14 months, but unless the threat of terrorism disappears during that time, can you seriously expect that people will be willing to trust a Democrat to lead the fight against it?

[Ohioan]

There are a raft of potentially "gripping issues." There is also the fact that the present large field of Democratic candidates, will create the possibility for the emergence of someone whose credentials will be tailored to the exigencies of the moment. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that someone completely unforseen--with few if any of the obvious deficits of the current crop--might be brought forward by the back-room kingmakers.

William Flax