No matter which candidates are victorious in Super Tuesday balloting - or if the contests remain muddled - one factor will be remain indisputable: the youth vote and increased involvement by young people in the political life of the nation.

Thanks in part to President Bush's war in Iraq, and to the extreme right wing policies of his administration, participation by young voters in the process has mushroomed. In fact, that trend began in 2004 with the campaign of Howard Dean and the anti-war effort.

In 2004, 20.9 million people under 30 voted, or 51.6 percent, up from 42.3 percent in 2000.

And of course, we now have Sen. Barack Obama, a JFK-esque figure whose rallies are closer to that of a rock or film star than those of a politician. Win or lose, his effect has been electric and will linger for years.

Hillary Clinton as well has inspired young voters, particularly women. And other candidates, such as Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee, have inspired with their unconventional approaches, always a winner with the young.

Where, then, does that leave the Republican Party if it ends the nomination process with two candidates who seem more more comfortable with "Leave it to Beaver" than the multicultural 21st century?

Those were

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the fabled days when Mom stayed home and took care of the kids, Dad was the breadwinner and came home to read the newspaper at night.

And when blacks, gays, Hispanics, Asians and many others were out of sight and certainly out of power - along with women - and the American military and big corporations were unquestioned and counted on to protect us and provide us with lifelong, good-paying jobs.

Somehow we doubt that a socially backward looking, corporate butt-kissing image from either John McCain or Mitt Romney will play well with the young. Not in 2008.