This morning I listened for a while to Mark Davis on the radio He is broadcasting his talk show live from the Democratic Convention in Denver. One of his on-air guests today was Faye Wattleton, former head of Planned Parenthood and currently at something called the Center for the Advancement of Women.

In the interview she described her emotional experience of stepping into the booth to vote in the New York Democratic primary and having a choice between a black man and a white woman. She said that she felt elated and awed to be part of this historic moment, and she spoke highly of our country and its progress in rights.

Then she made this statement. And I am paraphrasing: as a black person part of my identity pulled toward voting for Obama; but my "gender-identity" (her term) was stronger and I voted for Hillary.

Mark Davis, a great talk-show host, let this statement pass because he was charging ahead into a discussion/debate of abortion.

I think this woman put into words the process by which many liberals make their voting choice: identity politics. They vote for the candidate that speaks to, or shares, their personal identity of gender or race or sexual preference or whatever. Not positions rationally considered. Not the common good. Not answers to the issues facing the nation. But identity.

I realize this manner of vote decision is not new. Many of Andrew Jackson's supporters voted for a fellow frontiersman, Southerner, self-made man, masculine man. Either their identity or their wished-for identity.

But, making voting decisions in terms of "identity" is a dangerous practice. You can wind up voting for an incompetent who shares your race or sex or class.