Abandoning my declared neutrality

I'd honestly hoped to remain neutral in the Dem primary campaign, believing that either candidate would be preferable to McCain.

I now find myself wondering why Sen Clinton is sounding more and more like a perhaps warmer-and-fuzzier Sen McCain.

Her threat to "totally obliterate" Iran should it attack Israel with nuclear weapons was, to put it gently, uncalled for. Iran has no nuclear weapons. Why make the threat? Still, I was willing to overlook it.

Her recent support of McCain's "gas-tax holiday" proposal, however, pushed me over the edge.

Whatever Sen Obama's faults, he is at least not parroting his esteemed Republican opponent.

I'm an independent voter. I'll not vote for McCain. Should Sen Clinton win the nomination, I will have a very hard time pulling the lever for HER. We don't need warmer-and-fuzzier Republicans masquerading as Democrats - we need committed DEMOCRATS!

Talk with Cuba? You bet! With North Korea? You bet! With Iran? You bet! Talk is NOT cheap - but it cannot possibly be less effective than gratuitous belligerent threats.

Gas prices too high? How 'bout pursuing a sane alternative energy program?... as opposed to, say, encouraging increased demand?

If in the interest of "bipartisanship" Sen Clinton would like to co-opt some of Sen McCain's good ideas - okay. ... BUT (hint, hint): Sen McCain has no good ideas! His economic "policy" ("cut taxes" pretty much sums it up) continues W's "borrow-and-spend" path to the poor-house. His foreign "policy" (talk loudly, strut) continues W's unilateral, paranoid belligerence.

If we don't need another flight-suited strutting warrior in the Oval Office, we certainly don't need a pants-suited strutting would-be warrior there, either!

Again, it truly pains me to adopt this position. I'd hoped to be able to pull the lever for ANY major-party candidate whose name wasn't "McCain" come November. I find now that I will not be able to do so.

Sorry, Sen Clinton. I'm afraid you just lost my potential vote.

[Should you be the Dem Candidate, I do have constructive advice:

Run on W's record!

You never have to once mention any of your positions. Simply suggest to voters, "If you like where the country is today, vote for McCain!"]