A deep, talented field in the Democratic caucus race offers both good and difficult choices.

No fewer than three candidates would, by their very identity, usher the nation to the doorstep of history. Should the party offer the nation the chance to choose its first woman president? Or its first black president? Or its first Latino president?

Or should the party place its trust in two senators, Joe Biden or Chris Dodd, who have served their nation with distinction for more than 30 years each? Or should it heed John Edwards’ clarion call to restore opportunity for all Americans?
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Beyond their personal appeal, the candidates have outlined ambitious policy proposals on health care, education and rural policy. Yet these proposals do little to help separate the field. Their plans are similar, reflecting a growing consensus in the party about how to approach priority issues.

The choice, then, comes down to preparedness: Who is best prepared to confront the enormous challenges the nation faces — from ending the Iraq war to shoring up America’s middle class to confronting global climate change?

The job requires a president who not only understands the changes needed to move the country forward but also possesses the discipline and skill to navigate the reality of the resistant Washington power structure to get things done.

That candidate is New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Although The Missus' campaign is attempting to put a positive spin on this endorsement as she embarks on her gimmicky "Hill-a-copter" tour of Iowa, the fact is that no presidential candidate the Register has endorsed in the primaries in the recent past has gone anywhere.

Maybe the Register, realizing their lousy record with caucus endorsements, intended this as an anti-endorsement endorsement, hoping that someone with some actual "discipline" and more "skills" than just being the titular head of the country's first true political crime syndicate will win the caucus and go on to win the nomination.

At any rate, what was supposed to be an early "coronation" for The Missus, a cake walk to the Democratic convention and certain election as president in November '08 has thankfully turned into anything but that.