Minnesotans choosing a presidential candidate in the caucuses on Tuesday should favor Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic nominee and Sen. John McCain for the Republican nominee.

If you are a voter who is tired of the deeply polarized federal politics, McCain and Obama offer the best hope for an improved polical atmosphere in Washington, D.C.

McCain is a leader among Republicans and though various candidates have appeals in some aspects, he is the most-rounded candidate. Former Gov. Mitt Romney also is fairly rounded, but it can be difficult to tell where he stands. McCain comes across more plain-spoken and hasn&8217;t shifted his views, even his unpopular ones on the Iraq War.

Moreover, he appeals to people who long for the old-school Republican Party, when anti-spending was part of the party platform and anti-corruption was too. George W. Bush has been one of the most spend-happy and corruption-prone presidents in history.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has been critical of Obama&8217;s experience, or lack of it, but he has just as much experience if not more experience than when a certain Arkansas governor ran for president in 1992. Obama is just as ready to run for president today as he would be four, eight or 16 years from now.

Obama&8217;s message of change is appealing, especially considering the 20 years of Bush-Clinton-Bush. If Democrats don&8217;t want to unite the Republicans, they should steer clear of nominating Clinton. Obama has greater across-the-aisle appeal.

Another thing to consider is Clinton voted in 2002 to authorize the use of force in Iraq but now opposes the war; whereas Obama, who wasn&8217;t a senator in 2002, nevertheless held a firm antiwar stance at the time and has all along. Voters appreciate firm views. These days, both candidates want the troops home.

Sen. Ted Kennedy supports Obama, but perhaps more importantly JFK daughter Caroline Kennedy does, too.

The platform differences between Obama and Clinton aren&8217;t much, but one we noticed was Obama says he can bring universal health coverage within four years. Clinton says it will take longer than one term. It is an issue that will affect millions of Americans, and those Americans are voting for a four-year term, not eight. They deserve action sooner, not later.

Moreover, we&8217;d like to acknowledge the within-bounds styles of the Obama and McCain campaigns. The two men are eloquent, show leadership skills and attacks on other candidates largely have been in response to attacks on them. Generally, the two stand out as seeking to run the more-positive campaigns &8212; not perfect, of course &8212; in an atmosphere where that goal truly is impossible.