online stream of consciousness

ok ok - maybe it isn't "conviction" ....my last post evoked images of authoritarian leaders who had great conviction...or even W...

Perhaps it is "character" then which captures the essence of a leader (person) I can support ...and by that, I mean someone who is indeed willing to sacrifice image, power, personal comfort to do the "right" thing - while also willing to change his/her mind based on reasonable principles, rather than force the "right" thing to be his/her thing.

James Joyce could do stream of consciousness!