My hope, and I might add this is more of a fantasy hope than one that could really happen is a Mccain-Lieberman ticket for the win!

Sounds like Gore is going to run, as is Clinton and Kerry.

I have to wonder if the Left is going to use Gore as a stalking horse candidate to liven up Hillary's or Kerry's potential. Gore has really alienated himself as an odd duck with questionable stability imho. But if they put him out there to be smeared and draw fire than it might really boost their real top ticket.

Just random thoughts on a slow Monday morning...

Fandros

I think the Democrat's best chance is with Evan Bayh. Of course I've said it before.

And I'd love to see McCain run too. If that happened I'd at least have to think who I'd vote for.

Hopefully Bush will soon announce his dictatorship and this will be a moot point.

Questioning McCain's own stability in 2000 helped Rove propel Bush to the White House; perhaps the same tactic will work if used against Gore (I can already hear the outrage from the right if the same charges are whispered against McCain again). Kerry wants to run and won't get the nomination. Biden wants to run and also won't get the nomination. Hillary probably wants to run and might get the nod, though I think a Curt Warner-Wesley Clark ticket would work best from the Dems.

A McCain led ticket on the Rep side would appease moderates but displease the far right. Santorum and Brownback also seem interested, but I don't know that the moderates would go for either of them. George Allen from VA also seems interested; I don't know much about his prospects.

Evan Bayh is a very interesting as a possible candidate. I watched a program about him the other day, he doesnt pull any punches which is something the Dems need.McCain is a top of the line republican who could be very formidable if the religious end of the republican party can keep their mouths shut.

Here's a question I always have about campaigns. Kerry has a ton of campaign cash stashed way. If he doesn't run for Pres, or has only a very brief run before being slapped around, what happens to all that cash?

Part of the campaign finance reform was to not allow candidates to keep the money they don't spend. It goes to the party.

If McCain runs you guys seem to think it would be as a Republican, his current views tend more Democratic than Republican. How about a Clinton/McCain ticket?

I do have to agree Evan Byah is a big up and comer and would follow the recent presidential past of electing state governors as opposed to existing congressmen.

Beelziod

Because the office of President is essentially a CEO position, both past and present state governors have more of a track record to demonstrate their abilities as an executive, where those making the run from Congress have only party positions and voting records to use in their campaigns.

McCain is the kind of politician that Bush campaigned as in 2000; he really has demonstrated his compassionate conservatism, where Bush has never grasped the concept firmly enough to practice it. If the Bush-Rove-Cheney team had not pulled the race card out in the southern states McCain would have been President. I look forward to his returning to the campaign in '08.

I do not believe either Gore or Kerry can muster a strong enough following to get the nomination from their party again.

Polls show Hillary beating almost anyone put up against her.

It is going to be interesting watching events unfold in the next election, and seeing how they might impact the '08 campaigns. Would like to go into more depth on this, but coffee break is over.:rolleyes:

I'd vote for McCain or Clark. I <3 them both. I do think one person a lot of people count out is Kain from Virginia. A democrat in a red state, who also did the rebuttle to the state of the union ...

Evan Bayh is a democrat from a red state too. When he was the governor of Indiana, Indiana was the first state in the Union to balance the budget. Mind you, he got this passed with a Republican majority in the state house. He's made a living of working with both sides of the aisle, which would be a refreshing change in a President after several Presidents from both sides that don't prefer to do this.

I do think one person a lot of people count out is Kain from Virginia. A democrat in a red state, who also did the rebuttle to the state of the union ...
Kaine was just elected; I don't see him going for a presidential run any time soon.

A democrat in a red state, who also did the rebuttle to the state of the union ... And it's sad, but even Bush's lackluster performance far exceeded his... it was almost embarassing. He was a duck out of the water. Within 2 minutes I was hoping Pelosi or Reid would come back to rescue him.

Anyway, I've stated before I'm no fan of McCain, but from Drudge I see this...

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

I don't know what he's talking about, but I know a smackdown when I see it. +points to McCain.

Unfortunately, there are no strong female candidates out there that I would really support. Another male-dominated election. *sigh*

And it's sad, but even Bush's lackluster performance far exceeded his... it was almost embarassing. He was a duck out of the water. Within 2 minutes I was hoping Pelosi or Reid would come back to rescue him.

Anyway, I've stated before I'm no fan of McCain, but from Drudge I see this...

http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1654

I don't know what he's talking about, but I know a smackdown when I see it. +points to McCain.


My candidate of choice did indeed "bitch-slap" the freshman senator, and in a most gentlemanly manner.

Good god I hope it isn't clinton. I hate her so very, very much.

McCain please.

Anyone want to wager that Rev Jackson will run again, as well Rev Sharpton?

These fine fellows are making a living out of running with no hope of getting elected.

Fandros

Anyone want to wager that Rev Jackson will run again, as well Rev Sharpton?

These fine fellows are making a living out of running with no hope of getting elected.

Fandros

That's the answer to Mirr's "what do they do with leftover funds?" question... Nice hotels.. big events... sell a book... hustle more people for the next one.

I think the thing I look forward to in 08 is that both sides are going to have true primary elections. It has been a long time since the current vice president was not going to be the front runner for the party in office. The mud will be flinging from both sides. It will be fun to watch... I think a Allen/Guiliani will be a strong ticket also

Guiliani ... I've never quite understood what made this guy so popular other than being the victim of a terrorist attack. He didn't really do much that anyone else would have done. Oh and then he went on SNL so I guess that makes him a good presidential candidate. I dislike him simply because he's riding the Sept 11th train to victory, which is pretty disgusting in my eyes.

Actually Kelraz you must be forgetting his charisma and incredible leadership during a very trying time.

Had nothing to do with showing up on SNL. He was able to forge a very fractured community into something resembling a city.

Anyone from the city or anyone that actually watched the events unfold would be hard pressed to tell you different.

Fandros

Guiliani ... I've never quite understood what made this guy so popular other than being the victim of a terrorist attack. He didn't really do much that anyone else would have done. Oh and then he went on SNL so I guess that makes him a good presidential candidate. I dislike him simply because he's riding the Sept 11th train to victory, which is pretty disgusting in my eyes.

Because he didn't whine moan and piss himself like the mayor of another large city did recently during its tragedy. Stark difference.

Yeah, stark differance indeed. There was tons more damage to New Orleans. They have to basically rebuild an entire city. New Orleans has lost 72% of it's population, either to death or mass exodus of the African American population. New Orleans lost most of it's industry and jobs. I won't even go into how much National support that New York City got compared to the lapse that same support had in reaching New Orleans.

You can't compare the two. Both were horrendous acts, and both were handled completely differantly by local AND national officials. While 9/11 was horrible, the direct effect of Katrina on New Orleans (not talking international economics, etc.) was much more devistating.

Because he didn't whine moan and piss himself like the mayor of another large city did recently during its tragedy. Stark difference.

Did you even read about what happened with Katrina? Or did you make the blanket assumption that it was all some liberal conspiracy designed to out Bush.

Akipt...you're doing a helluva job!

Yeah, stark differance indeed. There was tons more damage to New Orleans. They have to basically rebuild an entire city. New Orleans has lost 72% of it's population, either to death or mass exodus of the African American population. New Orleans lost most of it's industry and jobs. I won't even go into how much National support that New York City got compared to the lapse that same support had in reaching New Orleans.Exactly.
Did you even read about what happened with Katrina? Or did you make the blanket assumption that it was all some liberal conspiracy designed to out Bush.Neither of you get it, which is not terribly suprising. Don't feel bad though, neither Nagin nor Blanco understood real leadership either.

In thinking about it one thing became apparently clear.

No matter how close we all became after 9/11 it's sadly skewed by the perceptions folks put upon an event to help them justify their actions/decisions of today.

Fandros

What did Guiliani do? First off, he made a name for himself prosecuting Marc Rich, who was making illegal oil deal with Iran during the hostage crisis, and tax evasion. (note.. rich was pardon by Clinton). When he took over as Mayor, the crime rate was through the roof, and the city was in a hole. He went after organized crime, and turned the city around. 9/11 I will not even talk about since we all know what he did. ( Time man of the year) As for the comment that he is only famous from SNL... Give me a break.. how about a former President that jumpstarted because of playing the Sax on TV....

Giuliani did a hell of a job pulling things together and restoring some sense of sanity in New York during a time when so many wanted to retreat into shock and denial......for that he will get some votes.

As mayor he has a track record of both good and bad decision making, successes and failures, much like any other holder of elected office.

I don't think he would go very far however, once they started picking apart his personal life, and putting him under the media microscope inherent to all political campaigns on the national stage.

He did an outstanding job in a time of crisis for his city. I have no sense of him being able to lead the country, just because of that situation.

As for the comment that he is only famous from SNL... Give me a break.. how about a former President that jumpstarted because of playing the Sax on TV....

Or the former President dressed in his cowboy boots and hat that used to introduce Death Valley Days (sponsored by Borax).


(For the youngsters, Death Valley Days was a half-hour western that would teach a bit of the history of our opening up the West through reenactment of events; was one of the better Westerns, because we were learning things that we could always talk about at school, which was usually more interesting than the teacher's topics.)

I am not so sure of that Byl.. Being the mayor of New York is like being the Governor of most of the states in this country. Not to mention he was a republican mayor in a democratic city. He was able to turn the city around and then he capped it off with being able to lead that city through 9/11. That is more than any senator, congressman, or Governor that is planning on running for the presidency. The only real threat I see is McCain, and who knows.. maybe that will be the ticket...Personal history will hurt him.. being married 3 times will go against him, among other things.. but having the history of fighting crime that he did, that will help offset some of it.

McCain/Lieberman (IND)


Thats a winner right there.