Well, you know, the Bay Area lives in a kind of political isolation from the rest of the country. Out here, anything seems possible, and anything does happen. "Impeach Bush" signs are in every other window. We have a five-day gay marriage-a-thon in direct violation of state edict. Naked people march to City Hall to protest the war in Iraq.

I wouldn't call this area out of touch as some want to do, just very idealistic. They have a view of the world as it could be, and they vote and act according to it.