FREE ADVICE FOR THE DEMS: Somewhere way back when on this blog -- and were I a responsible blogger I'd go back and find it and link to it -- I recall observing that the Bush Administration's key vulnerability was not to be found in their ideology, but in their competence, or lack thereof. I remember fearing that Bush 43 simply wasn't smart enough to do the job, all the while hoping that his henchmen -- Powell, Cheney, Rumsfield, Rice, etc. -- could cover for his lack of intellect.

I recently had a similar conversation with Dem friends. In light of all the revelations about the inefficient prosecution of the war, the management (mismanagement) of Katrina, and the ham-handed dealings with K Street, the Dems need not focus on ideological differences. In fact, they can focus on what unites us.

Here's what I think the Dem message ought to be:

"In many ways, we're just like the Republicans. We love our country, and we'll work to support it, fight to defend it, and stay up all night to fix it when it breaks. We believe in freedom, in equality, in democracy, and in the family. We feel an obligation to help those in need, to stand behind our allies, and to be a good global citizen.

"We care about the economy AND the environment, and we know that you can't save one and neglect the other. We believe our richest and our poorest citizens must act responsibly and live by the same rules; and that people of all creeds, colors, and socioeconomic groups have not just a practical responsibility to live in peace with one another, but also a moral imperative to love one another.

"So you see, when you consider Democrats and Republicans, see that by and large we're aiming at the same things. And yet if you look back at the years this country lived under a Democratic administration, under the leadership of Bill Clinton and Al Gore...we actually did more just than believe in these things. We did more than just aim at them. We lived them. These beliefs were our reality, not simply our rhetoric.

"In our hearts, we're all patriots. We're all philanthropists. We're all spiritual people, in one way or another. In our hearts, we're not Democrats or Republicans, but merely citizens. Human beings. All doing the very best we can.

"We believe that George Bush is a good man. We believe he has done his best. And we wish him well and thank him for his service. Now, as we move forward, the question to you, fellow Americans, is not which party has the best ideals. It's which party can best lead us to the ideals we all share. Which party can not simply aim, but truly hit the target."