Brooks predicts `08 Dem win; contemplates suicide

So I guess the only question is, who should replace him at The Times?

Actually, he leaves himself an out, suggesting that he could live with Bill Richardson as the Dem nominee for president.

But one had to love his opening line:

So there I was, sitting in my office, quietly contemplating suicide. I was watching a cattle call of Democratic presidential candidates on C-Span.

Essentially, Brooks is looking forward to the inevitability of a Democratic president and deciding that he couldn't live in an America that would elect a Hillary or an Obama.

Should it come to pass, David, I'll dutifully take up the task of penning your obit.

I have no `08 preference at this point (though I would be inclined to support a candidate who says, unequivocally, "Out of Iraq, period"). But if supporting Obama, Edwards or, god forbid, even Hillary means creating an opening on The New York Times op-ed page, I'll back any of those candidates.

Sure, it's a trivial reason to support a presidential candidate, but with our Democratic Congress pussyfooting around on Iraq as more die and billions more dollars are flushed down the toilet, I'm looking for any little, emotionally-satisfying victory I can find.

Because what is really going on is just too damn depressing.