Submitted by John Drexel, Jan 31, 2007 18:35

Well, with the race for the White House underway more than a year before first votes are cast in the New Hampshire primary, Republican voters (and pundits) ought to take advantage of the extra time to let the prospective candidates flesh out their positions, answer tough questions, debate the issues in an intelligent and civil manner. Why the media's rush to anoint a nominee a year and a half before the convention? Let the Democrats do that if they wish. Yes, I'm leaning toward Romney at the moment, but I want to hear what all the potential candidates (even Chuck Hagel, even George Pataki) have to say before I decide my vote in stone. Republicans should bear in mind Ronald Reagan's dictum not to speak ill of other Republicans. To be for one particular candidate at this point is not necessarily to be against all the others.

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