I have long said that I will vigorously support whomever becomes the Democratic nominee for President. When the race came down to Hillary and Obama, I saw nothing but a win-win!

Now I am having second thoughts…

In the days leading up to today’s primary, a number of events (some covered by the media, some not so much) have given me pause. I have been reluctant to point out any negatives, but feel compelled to do so now.

1. Hillary praises McCain over Obama
2. Clinton attacks Obama’s Foreign Policy Committee experience, what about her own?
3. Clinton on 60 Minutes, parsing language on whether Obama is a Muslim, or is she really saying “He’s not Muslim, as far as I know…”
4. The infamous 3AM ad, a positively Rovian tactic if there ever was one
5. Hillary, at first, fails to reject supporters comments on Obama

It is becoming clear to me that she will do anything to get back in the race, and unfortunately is revealing cracks in her character. I am really disappointed she would campaign in this way. For me, it even brings the sincerity of that infamous tear into question.

And Hillary goes on and on about experience. She relies heavily on her time in the White House, despite not having much in the way of a security clearance. If that phone rings in the White House and it’s 3am… I hope the phone is on Bill’s side, not hers. And when comparing her record in the Senate to Obama’s, there are no substantive differences. And based on history, I think it is appropriate for Obama to draw the line between judgement, and experience.

So now I am desperately seeking Hillary, the Hillary before the acts of desperation. Considering her current standings in the polls and delegate count, I wonder if she should have saved that tear for Texas?

To many you, I am sure that has long been obvious. I’ve decided tonight however to make it official. I’ve done a little house re-dressing in honor of the political season as I am sure you have already noticed. While I typically air on the side of subtlety, I’m throwing all caution to the wind (please forgive the cliche). It’s odd to me that I am more interested in the primaries than I am MacWorld 08. Yes. Perhaps I should see a doctor.

In case you were under a rock this evening, Obama and Huckabee won in Iowa tonight. While I am still undecided on who to throw my support behind, I find myself easing in one direction. I’ve posted their victory speeches below.

After watching Huckabee’s speech, I hear more of the same. The same we’ve been hearing the past 7 years. With Obama, I hear echoes of Robert Kennedy, and frankly that’s what I’d rather hear.

After watching the Democratic Debate last week I thought it was Biden who made the most of what little time he was given. His foreign policy remarks were dead on, and considering today’s events in Pakistan, all the more relevant. Below are two clips from the debate regarding Pakistan, followed by the first few paragraphs from a BBC news report on today’s events in Pakistan… Scary.

“Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule and suspended the country’s constitution.

He defended his actions in a national address, saying he was curbing a rise in extremism in Pakistan.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has been replaced and the Supreme Court surrounded by troops, who also entered state-run TV and radio stations.

The moves come as the Supreme Court was due to rule on the legality of Gen Musharraf’s October election victory.”

More from the BBC…

Tonight we saw Michael Clayton, an excellent but mildly predictable drama with great performances by George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson. Check it out before it leaves your local cineplex.

Prior to the movie we got to watch the lovely little piece of propaganda below:

Created as a promotional piece for the National Guard (note the logo in the lower right), this slick, big-budget music video with Hollywood production values is currently playing at movie theaters everywhere, and is obviously targeting those who spend the most time at the movies… teenage males. The piece reeked of MTV and video games, and not in a good way. The video frequently cuts back and forth between natural disasters, the Revolutionary War, and what appears to be Iraq, and throws in a 9/11 reference for good measure. What a surprise that was. Well, not really. I expected to see it 15 seconds in.

For the record I support the troops. I will always support the troops that serve honorably here and abroad. And in part this little diddy pays tribute to those who have served, or at least I think so. But I certainly question the timing, the method of execution and the intentions behind it. War is a dirty business. Not some video game. Not an episode of American Idol. And this war in Irag is made even dirtier by those who were hell bent on going to war since arriving in office. Granted propaganda has been around as long as man has taken up arms. But in a war worth fighting (WW II comes to mind) the propaganda then seems somehow more palatable (if not always pleasant or right).

I hope teens (who I hope are smarter than I sometimes give them credit for) will see this video for what it is. A slick sales pitch designed to glamorize war, and suck them into the quagmire that is Iraq.

Wars are only glamorous (and profitable) to those who wage them, not to those who fight them.