It's still more than a year until the next US election, yet I couldn't help feeling a little surge of hope upon hearing that General Wesley Clark was putting himself forward for the Democratic nomination.

Although I've no more to go on than a gut feeling, his opening rally and a handful of profiles, his opposition to the war in Iraq, apparently liberal stances on gun control, social inclusion, abortion, taxes, and other issues, all make him appealing.

Plus he's the one credible Democratic candidate I've seen who appears to have that extra electable something. It's a long road ahead and much though it galls me to put such faith in a career soldier, I'm hoping that Jefferson's old boys are finally beginning to get a clue about what it might take to get Junior out of the White House.

But then what do I know? I voted for Blair. Twice.