Take It Away, Howard?

I've been receiving e-mails from the presidential campaign of Howard Dean, and there are certainly plenty of weblogs like this one to keep abreast of Dr. Dean's comings and goings, but I haven't committed to joining his campaign. As the resident of a state (New Jersey) whose worthless presidential primary is held in June, long after the nominee is chosen (we need a national primary!), and as a registered independent, I'm wary of joining any presidential campaign that could peter out long before the conventions, but I remain intrigued with Dean. Right now he's riding high, and he could pose a serious threat to George W. Bush, but it's just as possible that his campaign could implode before spring. And if Wesley Clark enters the race later this week, that could change everything.

We don't just need a candidate who can beat Bush. We need a candidate who will drag America into a state of civilization where the public realm and the general welfare are respected and where civilized behavior and impeccable intelligence are encouraged. We need someone who will take us out of the the trashy, self-indulgent noncivilization we've been engaged in for far too long. Bill Clinton was not that President. Bush certainly isn't. James Howard Kunstler thinks Dean's the man for the job. We'll see.