People have been pinging me about 2008 Presidential Contenders, and while I still think it is too early (we have a 2007 election here in Virginia to get through first), I have already spent a little time on this topic. Everything I said about Wesley Clark in October is still true today. I firmly believe that he is uniquely qualified to lead the United States of America out of the quagmire that is Iraq. Furthermore as a man of integrity rather than ego, he has been waiting until the congressional elections of 2006 are completely resolved before committing to a presidential race in 2008, I completely agree with that set of priorities and heartily applaud him for holding off.
I see that Hillary Clinton is in the running now, and I am not at all surprised, nor interested in the slightest. Hillary’s participation in the race will make it vastly more expensive for all players and she neither has a chance of winning, nor should she. She is far too conservative for the American people. She is pro-war, pro-corporate power, anti-populist. She’ll make it expensive, and cause great divisions between Americans who what she represents and who hate what she represents; and she does not have the diplomatic skills to heal that breach. America will be even more divided as a result of her ultimately unsuccessful bid for the oval office. The only question is, can she get the Democratic party nomination, and thus lock in a Republican victory. We should all pray not, but she has proven a fierce competitor in the past and she certainly has a lot of backing. She will make it much more expensive at the very least. I wish she would take her ego, and her money and sit this one out. She is doing some good as a U.S. Senator from New York, she should finish her implied obligation to the people of New York State before trying for another office, and she certainly should not give up a firm seat in the Senate for a white house run. Congress is more hosed than the administration right now, and is in greater need of repair.
I am surprised and very disappointed that Barack Obama has entered this race. He, like Hillary, owes the voters of his state (in his case Illinois) a full six year term before chasing other goals. Likewise, he is an excellent U.S. Senator, doing good things in the senate, having him become President or Vice President is a waste of skills we know he has now. Furthurmore, it is not entirely clear that his seat, if vacated, would stay in the Democratic column. He needs to stay where he is and not let his shining star get carried away from him too soon. He does not have the international experience to be president, and though inexperienced presidents have succeeded in the past, they did not inherit the crapload of trouble the incoming U.S. President (whomever it is) will inherit in 2009. Obama is a promising candidate for future bids for the office (2020?) but not now, not yet, and certainly not when the Senate balance is this damned delicate.
I am as excited about the prospects of Bill Richardson as anyone else, in many ways he is the perfect candidate for the office. My main reasons for supporting Wes Clark first, and Bill Richardson second are that Wes clearly has the experience needed to get us out of the mess we are in now regarding both Iraq and Afghanistan. Let the man with experience get us out, then step down after only one turn (yes, Clark has the integrity to do just that) and then let the healer and diplomat take over in 2012 and beyond.
I have enormous respect for Kucinich, never want him to be president, but always enjoy his bids for the office. He makes pertinent political points when he does so and brings new and interesting ideas to the race every time. I like the populist that John Edwards has become, but still think he is doing more as a non-president than he will as a president. Al Gore and John Kerry have had their chance to run and they both flubbed it. I still like both men, I like the job Gore is doing as a private citizen, and I like Kerry as a member of the Senate. I want neither man in the oval office now.
The only thing more discouraging than Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic pack of contenders right now is that the Republicans have basically no one acceptable at all. Where is the leadership in this country?
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