When a Republican friend of mine found out for sure what he'd long suspected, that he and I were in opposite political camps, he remarked that he hoped I was not one of those Democrats who hates George Bush. "I don't mind that you might not like his policies, but you don't hate the man personally, do you?"

"God forgive me," I replied, "I've tried hard not to. I know it's unChristian, it bothered me when people hated Bill Clinton, but most of the time I just can't stand the man."

"Well, I didn't like Clinton's policies, but I didn't hate the man," he said with not a little self-righteous smugness.

"And when Hillary wins the presidency, I'm not going to spend the next eight years defending her?" I asked.

"Well, you probably will," he laughed, " and I'll spend at least four years wondering how a true Christian can have such unChristian thoughts about another child of God."

This conversation has occurred more than once in only slight variations with different acquaintances since the l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g campaign of '08 began. People who had visceral reactions to everything that happened in the Clinton White House now claim they only disliked his policies. That's not how I remember it.

I completely sympathize with Garrison Keillor, who said recently,

Now I’m an old tired Democrat, sick of this infernal war that may go on for the rest of my life and in which more of our brethren will die miserably, both American and Iraqi. I’m sick of politics today, the cleverness and soullessness of it. I am still angry at Al Gore for wearing those stupid sweaters in 2000 and pretending he didn’t know Bill Clinton, and I am angry at everyone who voted for Ralph Nader. I hope the next time they turn the key in the ignition their air bags blow up.

Is it just me, or are the rest of you suffering from political fatigue? The Repub- licans I know aren't very enthused about any of their candidates, and none of the Democratic candidates are inspiring me. Obama is still my pick, but I'm not sure he can go the distance. Even though he's the youngest candidate, he's already beginning to look a little frayed around the edges, and none of the primaries have even been held. Our system is irreparably broken, they're spending obscene amounts of money on campaigns, and nobody seems to have a practical solution to getting us unstuck from Iraq.

How long, O Lord, how long?