Nor have I been listening to the "candidates own words" as selected by the news media. I don't watch political speeches. I read them.

The world is ankle-deep in the wreckage of societies that came under the rule of skilled and inspiring speakers.

I have spent some time on candidate websites, looking at what their ideas are. I've also spent time looking at their backgrounds and history, political and otherwise. Some of their ideas are good, some need work, some need lots of work. Some ideas are indeed naive, but a good trait in a leader is the ability to learn. Last spring our current leader decided to double down on his ignorance and mistakes.

I'm not listening to the Muzak. You're stressed about the "field" because the Democrats want Republicans stressed about the field.

I'm not sweating bullets, either. Not now, not yet. I fully realize my primary vote will have little to do with the final selection, so at this point it's kind of like tracking a hurricane. It goes where it goes, and we hope for the best. None of the frontrunners would make a lousy president, and all of them would do better than Obama.

Principles. Integrity. Ideas. These are what count. If we want someone who has memorized the prime ministers of every country on the planet, we can elect Rain Man.

Remember that the greatest Republican election victories of the past 30 years were when consistent and proud conservative ideas were in the driver's seat. 1980, 1984, 1994, and yes, 2010. Republicans failed when they abandoned those ideas (controlling government spending, for example) or went "moderate." There's the record. It speaks for itself. Believe me, the Democratic Party remembers, which is why it's trying to kill off candidates basically in the order of their conservatism.