First the good news, Peter T, what a beautiful post. Please, someone tell me, after reading that, just how is it that the Elephant party is so successful at selling themselves as the military party? Or is as Plato said, only the dead have seen the last of war?

But seriously, there is a huge disconnect when these two groups are compared and contrasted. It is baffling to me. HOWEVER, I do not believe one has to serve in the military to be strong on defense, but people must be consistent and ANY, ANY "chickenhawk", to me, deserves scrutiny - whether a Dem, Repub, Liberal or Conservative. But by Peter T's posting, it seems most of the Chickenhawks tend to like perching on the Elephants back.....

Pat, others have answered the "elite" question much better. I don't know where you get the idea that only a "Lefty" can be elite......

As for the disappointment....as I have stated numerous times...I am an unabashed liberal, but unlike Shrub supporters, I can criticize people like the Clinton's. I am still disgusted by Rwanda and angry at how Bill Clinton and his pecker and Ralph Nader severely damaged the Dem Party. I am especially angry at the Dems for having such a hard time finding their backbones...

But then we look across the table and see so few willing to criticize Shrub.......hats off to McCain and Hagel.....and shame on those who fail to see the problem with joking about WMD's while troops are being killed..........