Being an Alpha male helps.

You’re right — that really may have a lot to do with it.

Imagine if we hadn’t fervently bashed Harris Miller! You wouldn’t have that bitter undecided taste in your mouth…you’d think he was a perfect democrat and that Webb was a republican.

I voted for Miller early this morning because of three things: (1) I like his positions and the thought behind them, (2) I like his work ethic and am probably the only Virginian that thinks he would actually be the stronger candidate as a result, and (3) the involvement of the DSSC in this primary. And probably not in that order since the DSSC action is way out of line.

Based solely on what I observed at the polling place, this appears to be a very close election.

And I certainly agree that Webb’s online supporters have done a great deal to turn me off on the race. (The ones I’ve met in person have been fine.)

I haven’t voted yet. I’ll make a choice, and I’ll work for whoever wins, but I’m not enthusiastic about it. I hope whoever wins is prepared to do something about that.

Your analysis is sharp. It gathered and summed up the dilemma Virginia Democrats must wrestle with today. It also underlined an age-old problem with democracy — having to choose from an assortment of flawed candidates. Not many perfect candidates come along in the real world.

If we must make a choice between a trio of hopefuls — one with good problem-solving political skills, one who is the truth-telling reformer, or one who sets a shining example of how best to live one’s life — what’s really best in the long run?

Apparently the “good people” they have running the show forgot to tell Webb that when Chris Matthews asks you if you would support Mark Warner for President, the single most popular Democrat elected official in Virginia the last twenty years, you say YES.

That moment alone told me Webb wasn’t ready for primetime.

I didn’t see the Hardball episode with this exchange. But depending on just how the question was phrased, I can’t see why Webb should be required to say “yes”. If it was “Would Mark Warner make a good president?” that’s one thing; if it was literally “Would you support MW for president”, which could be construed as “Is Mark Warner your preferred candidate”, then why should Webb be obligated (politically or otherwise) to say yes? I’d rather see Webb responding with the truth than with the politically calculated message.

Ultimately, and in addition to everything else, I finally disagreed with the assessment that Webb’s a better candidate.

Biography isn’t everything. It counts for something, and certainly for that something Webb wins, but it’s overwhelmingly beat out by work ethic, willingness and ability to do what’s necessary as a candidate (be a “good candidate” in non-resumet ways), fundraising capacity, and at least enough familiarity with the major issues of they day to answer in a more substantive way than Webb has shown on any single policy issue.

Webb has a better resume, but Miller is a better candidate.

Can anyone point to a candidate for statewide or federal office who’s won entirely – ENTIRELY, as Webb would need to do – on the strength of his or her resume?

Either candidate will be squished like a bug by Allen – those who claim that Webb has a chance, even a better chance than Miller, are kidding themselves (or delusional). All available polling shows that they’ll get squished by the same margin.

Remember the Kaine campaign early last year? Campaigns can be fixed – candidates cannot.

I think I’ll join you in your plan to write less (frequent)/more (quality) posts in the future. Regardless of the outcome of this primary, I think I’m going to take a pretty solid break from blogging. Maybe only posting one, well considered piece a week from now until Labor Day, at least.

I’ve been thinking about this post for the past week, something that most of my fervent peckings do not benefit from. I intend to move to writing less about politics, though by “less” I mean “more”—less words and posts, but putting more thought into each.