[VioletlightHeron]

Neil nailed it right on the head. The difference between the Repubs and Dems is our intra party squabbles are less public and nastier than the Dems can get. Aside from the more extreme religious conservatives, Repubs basically agree on alot of things, whereas the Dems have a harder time because of the numerous factions that make it extremely hard for a moderate Dem to get the nomination. Kerry pretty much won the nomination because Dems were in an "anybody but Bush" and "electability" mood and failed to consider Kerry's inability to convince the general populace that he had a clear, facile rationale for leadership.