From: 55-40 Memphis

A.B.C.

Whenever you listen to a Republican operative commenting on the Democratic primary race, I want you to notice something. Pay attention as to which candidate gets the most hits and snarks, and which candidate is declared the apparent front runner. Make a note and move onto the next operative. Do you see a pattern?

Expand your awareness. Take in what all the Republicans are saying about the Democratic candidates. Read the bloggers, too. Make note of which candidates get trashed most often, and which are pretty much left alone. As if the Republicans are purposely holding their fire. Do you see a pattern yet?

I'll give you a hint: The Democratic candidate the Republicans most love to trash goes by the initials A.B.C. On the other hand, the candidate they're leaving alone is the one that has the worst negatives in the polls.

Factor in something else. Look at the messaging of the Republican candidates. What is the common theme among them? What the single most wonderful trait of every last one of them? (Except the libertarian.) Chris Matthews sees it. Do you?

Is it "strong on national security?"

Nope. It's manliness.

That should tell you who the Republicans want to win the Democratic primary campaign and they're gearing up to face in the general. They want it so bad they're having a tough time keeping a straight face. They ache for it. They're having political woodies over this candidate because if that's whom they will face, they know they win in 2008.

The scary part is that they're right.

And that's the top reason I'm voting for A.B.C.