So now we have a career Republican endorsing a Republican-sympathizing senator to run against a Republican.

Retired General Wesley Clark has spent most of his life as a Republican, and though he claims to be a somewhat liberal Democrat, he conversion came late, and he has yet to really explain it. He is endorsing former liberal John Kerry, who--it bears repeating--voted for:

Tax cuts for the wealthy
No Child Left Behind
The Patriot Act
The Iraq War Resolution

This isn't to say there aren't distinctions between Bush and Kerry: Kerry is intelligent, knowledgable, and not known to be part of PNAC and its subgroups. In the past, he has supported civil rights, gay rights (though as I write this, he is suggesting he might vote for "some form" of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage), and women's rights, and he has an excellent environmental record. But he has clearly given up his liberal values and has gone along with the White House in creating its most dangerous programs.

It's starting to look as though--on the big issues--the only thing the Republican Party has to fear is being outdone by Republicans who call themselves Democrats.