Very insightful observations. I think more and more the candidates for president are not very different on the scale of moral courage/moral cowardice with the exception of Kucinich but I don't see the electorate as ready and aware enough to get behind him. I keep looking over my shoulder at Gore. I was never a big Gore supporter: he was hawkish and appeared arrogant back in 88 when he ran for pres and toned down some during the clinton years but still supported the policies of the American empire. I think he may have changed.