Not too early is it? 2008 Presidential fun

[Strangler Lewis]

Americans vote for the tone they like. Back in 1995 I predicted that Bush, Jr. would be the Republican nominee in 2000 because he was kind of a hot governor and people sort of missed Bush I. The Republican nominee in 2000 will be Mike Huckabee, a thoughtful sounding evangelical. Barring some new attack at home, people will be sick of big stick wielders and foreign policy in general and the nagging suspicion that Bush II and his ilk wanted to commit America to a decades long war to capture the middle east and its oil.

If Huckabee runs, I think he beats Hillary because she's hard to listen to, but I think she beats the adulterer Giuliani, the cruel Brownback, the Mormon Romney and the ancient cancer victim McCain, none of whom are terribly compelling speakers.

If it looks like Huckabee is going to run, Obama probably would be the better candidate. The interesting thing from the Democrat side is whether Gore is waiting in the wings to see if Hillary self destructs. He'd have some explaining to do about 2000, but you can't say he's not experienced.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

but I think whoever gets the White House in the next election is screwed before they even take the oath. There is so much mess to clean up, so much to try and fix, it's a no-win situation and whoever it is will be a single term election and get nothing but **** for whatever they do manage to accomplish.

I actually see it the other way around. If whoever next gets the job is somewhat adroit at handling the Iraq/Afghanistan/Al Qaeda issue then they are in for an easy landing, particularly if they are a Democrat.

Domestically, things are actually pretty good and don't show any signs of looking horrible. National coverage of the economy tends to lag reality by a few years so by then everybody will be buying into the current good news. Yes, there are bad spots and troubled industries, but there are always bad spots and troubled industries.

The so-called "culture war" will rage, but I think that is, for most people a battle between the fringes.

The thing to keep in mind is that a president who sees 10% economic growth (that would have been 20% but for his interference) will be viewed as a genius while a president who sees 10% economic decline (that would have been 20% but for his interference) will be viewed as a failure.

When it is no longer necessary for the press to filter all economic news through its worst filter, suddenly things will seem rosy again and people will credit (wrongly, 95% of the time) whoever is in office.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

He'd have some explaining to do about 2000.

You mean like how he'd change the voting system so that in the future the winner of the election would actually get the job?

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Hillary is actually one of the few prominent Democrats to stand by her position on Iraq. I respect her for that quite a bit.

Nobody seems to be bringing it up. But remember when people questioned Bill Clinton about whether the first lady was too involved in policy? It seems to me that issue is only magnified 1000x if the "first lady" is a former president. I also wonder if those on the left who criticized Bush simply for being a "dynasty presidency" will have similar qualms about Hillary (and if the the people on the right who didn't care about a dynasty presidency will resist having issue issue with it now).

I'm not really bothered by Obama's lack of experience. I don't think it is a job that really has much in the way of "ramp up" training (except maybe being a governor) and being a senator certainly doesn't provide any training except in the realm of political gamesmanship.

As far as whatever connection he has with Islam, the simple response to that is "I am not a Muslim, but with our current global situation doesn't it seem like a positive to have a president that knows something about it?"

I respect Guiliani but think he'd be a horrible president. I don't respect McCain but he might be decent at it (though I am unlikely to vote for him).

Nail on the head with this post, all the way around. Thus far, I like Obama. His relative inexperience actually makes me want to vote for him- he's not entrenched, doesn't see this as his rightful due (or 'turn', as with the Bush family) and he has unique life experiences that are very relevant in today's world. Hillary would be fun, if only to let Scaeagles know how I felt when Dubya was elected, but I'm not willing to vote for her merely because I know it would piss Scaeagles off.

[Nephythys]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

You mean like how he'd change the voting system so that in the future the winner of the election would actually get the job?

In a nutshell everything that is wrong with the left-

They lose- and claim it was stolen.

Then they spend years going on about it.

We need forward thinkers- who understand why we have an electoral college and laws.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

We need forward thinkers- who understand why we have an electoral college and laws.

We seem to be fresh out of that brand here in the US.

[CoasterMatt]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

We need forward thinkers- who understand why we have an electoral college and laws.

Too bad nobody like that is in government at the moment

[Nephythys]

uh huh- whatever guys.

As long as dems keep whinging on about 2000- and 2004 as if they were stolen (which they weren't) and refuse to look forward to the future- well, they continue to be laughable.

I am looking forward to 2008 because it is going to be something NEW- no incumbents. I am sad to see either party trot out old options.

Nothing exciting yet- but it's early.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Nephythys

In a nutshell everything that is wrong with the left-

They lose- and claim it was stolen.

Then they spend years going on about it.

We need forward thinkers- who understand why we have an electoral college and laws.

Now that you bring it up... The electoral college is a bit of an anachronism. Don't you think we would be better off without it?

[tracilicious]

I'd love to see the electoral college ditched and have the actual winner of the majority of votes hold office.