"The system sucks..."

I must admit, I've burned a lot of brain cells thinking about the Presidential election slated for November 2008. Not one vote has been cast and already I've vacillated and flip-flopped between the three main Democratic contenders. Partly because they are all good candidates and their policy positions aren't really all that different. But there are differences between them and their approaches are instuctive. I do think this will be a major realignment election, it should bode well for progressives - we really should go for the "whole hog."

My first intuitive choice was Obama, but Clinton and Edwards have at times endeared themselves to me. When everyone was attacking Hilary, for being a woman, having cleavage, being married to the Big Dog, I started to root for her. Now that she and the Big Dog have started attacking Obama, they have kind of gone down on the "sunnyjimmy politico-meter." Lately John Edwards has impressed me with his attacks on the great corporate beast that is sucking the blood out of the country. Obama is still the only one who was against the Iraq war from the beginning. That holds a lot of weight for me.

This post below by Atrios, over at Eschaton seems to sum up the campaign so far in a very concise manner. I think he's nailed it. Looking at it this way, I'd say I'd put myself in the Edwards camp. I do think we need to fight like hell to destroy the system. It's that bad! Having a smart lawyer who made his fortune fighting the corporate beast is a solid credential to bring to the table.

Here's Atrios:

Shorter Candidates

Obama: The system sucks, but I'm so awesome that it'll melt away before me.

Edwards: The system sucks, and we're gonna have to fight like hell to destroy it.

Clinton: The system sucks, and I know how to work within it more than anyone.

-Atrios 18:58

UPDATE: Paul Krugman's column in the NY Times today seems to also recognize that 2008 could be a great moment for progressive politics, but to accomplish anything we will need a real fighter to take on the entrenched corporate interests in health care (and elsewhere) to make any headway. It's kind of a slam against Obama's "big table" approach. Probably another good reason to support Edwards. I mean, one wonders how aggressively Clinton, who is taking loads of big bucks from these same interests, will take on her own big bucks donors when it's time for a little reform?!

UPDATE #2: Okay, as per Brian Beutler, via Ezra Klien, via Matt Yglesias check this out, this is how John Edwards would tackle health care reform. He'd challenge Congress to offer average Americans the same health care benefits that Congress itself receives. If individual Congressmen and women refused, President Edwards would use the "bully pulpit," and he'd go to their Congressional districts and call them out on it. Now that's the kind of confrontational approach that just might get things moving!