It’s now a year and 9 months away from the 2008 Presidential election, but you sure wouldn’t know it to read the news. Already candidates are entering the ring. Much like Christmas, the elections season keeps starting earlier and earlier. Already in the ring are Democrats; Senator Barack Obama, (D-IL) Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Gov.Bill Richardson (D-Kan) and Senator John Edwards (D-SC) and Republicans have Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kans) and a one-foot-in-the-ring John McCain (R-AZ). It may be early, but already the fur is starting to fly.
A recent poll showing Barack Obama near neck and neck with Hillary Clinton seems to have set off a few revelations about Barack being leaked to the news. First that his middle name is "Hussein" (Which by the way is not included on his offical site) and then immediately afterward that he attended a Muslim school in his youth in Indonesia. The Muslim school leak was picked up by Fox News from conservative Insight Magazine and hence was dismissed by the left as an effort by right-wingers to discredit Barack. I have a different opinion on this. I don't think that the right has as much to lose by a Obama candidacy as Hillary Clinton does. An early lead by Barack could spell disaster to Hillary who isn't about to watch this newcomer steal away her monetary supporters and constituents and do nothing about it. If you think about it, it would be a good move for Hillary's Machine to leak info on Barack to Fox News and then claim it was a right-wing effort thereby leaving her with a double win. Slapping both opponents with one hand. Say what you want about the Clintons, they are not stupid.
Is The Hillary Machine ready to take on all comers? The answer is a resounding "Hell yes". She's been getting ready for this almost as soon as she finished packing her bags to leave the West Wing, maybe even sooner. She finished off 2006 with a campaign war chest at an estimated 13 million, most of it leftovers from her '06 New York Senate campaign. That Hillary is a force to be contended with is not even in dispute. She has tons of connections for raising funds (some estimates are that she could raise 300 million), the Democrat Leadership Council is behind her 100%, (it was after all, formed by her husband), and machinery that includes all the top minds in the Democratic field; John Podesta, President and CEO for the Center for American Progress, a major Democrat front group, James Carville aka The Ragin' Cajun, longtime friend and CNN Commentator and Terry McAuliffe the ex-DNC chair, and a certain inside ex-President. With tons of money, friends in the press and Hollywood and both the DLC and the DNC on board, frankly, she looks unstoppable.
So how does this bode for Dems like Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson? Not good at all. It almost looks to me like a fight for the V.P. slot. I myself am hoping for John Edwards to pull out of the pack. Maybe all this infighting between Barack and Hilary will give him an opening. I'm also not opposed to Bill Richardson or Obama. Edwards, Obama and Richardson have one trait that I find appealing, they're not "Heirs to the Throne". I really don't think it was the intent of our Founding Fathers to have the presidency handed down from father to son (Bush) or from husband to wife (Clinton) . The 2000 elections were a prime example of this with Al Gore riding his Senator father's legacy and Bush riding his President father's. Surely we can do better. It looks like we have a good chance this time of getting someone who knows what it's like to struggle a little. The Republicans are looking very weak at this point in time and don't have any real candidate that I would want to get behind. But it is still way early and God only knows what will happen in the months ahead. If there's one bright spot for the Republicans, it's that after the infighting that's sure to happen if anyone should threaten Queen Hillary, there might not be anything left to fight against. H.C.
A recent poll showing Barack Obama near neck and neck with Hillary Clinton seems to have set off a few revelations about Barack being leaked to the news. First that his middle name is "Hussein" (Which by the way is not included on his offical site) and then immediately afterward that he attended a Muslim school in his youth in Indonesia. The Muslim school leak was picked up by Fox News from conservative Insight Magazine and hence was dismissed by the left as an effort by right-wingers to discredit Barack. I have a different opinion on this. I don't think that the right has as much to lose by a Obama candidacy as Hillary Clinton does. An early lead by Barack could spell disaster to Hillary who isn't about to watch this newcomer steal away her monetary supporters and constituents and do nothing about it. If you think about it, it would be a good move for Hillary's Machine to leak info on Barack to Fox News and then claim it was a right-wing effort thereby leaving her with a double win. Slapping both opponents with one hand. Say what you want about the Clintons, they are not stupid.
Is The Hillary Machine ready to take on all comers? The answer is a resounding "Hell yes". She's been getting ready for this almost as soon as she finished packing her bags to leave the West Wing, maybe even sooner. She finished off 2006 with a campaign war chest at an estimated 13 million, most of it leftovers from her '06 New York Senate campaign. That Hillary is a force to be contended with is not even in dispute. She has tons of connections for raising funds (some estimates are that she could raise 300 million), the Democrat Leadership Council is behind her 100%, (it was after all, formed by her husband), and machinery that includes all the top minds in the Democratic field; John Podesta, President and CEO for the Center for American Progress, a major Democrat front group, James Carville aka The Ragin' Cajun, longtime friend and CNN Commentator and Terry McAuliffe the ex-DNC chair, and a certain inside ex-President. With tons of money, friends in the press and Hollywood and both the DLC and the DNC on board, frankly, she looks unstoppable.
So how does this bode for Dems like Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson? Not good at all. It almost looks to me like a fight for the V.P. slot. I myself am hoping for John Edwards to pull out of the pack. Maybe all this infighting between Barack and Hilary will give him an opening. I'm also not opposed to Bill Richardson or Obama. Edwards, Obama and Richardson have one trait that I find appealing, they're not "Heirs to the Throne". I really don't think it was the intent of our Founding Fathers to have the presidency handed down from father to son (Bush) or from husband to wife (Clinton) . The 2000 elections were a prime example of this with Al Gore riding his Senator father's legacy and Bush riding his President father's. Surely we can do better. It looks like we have a good chance this time of getting someone who knows what it's like to struggle a little. The Republicans are looking very weak at this point in time and don't have any real candidate that I would want to get behind. But it is still way early and God only knows what will happen in the months ahead. If there's one bright spot for the Republicans, it's that after the infighting that's sure to happen if anyone should threaten Queen Hillary, there might not be anything left to fight against. H.C.
7 comments:
"The Republicans are looking very weak at this point in time and don't have any real candidate that I would want to get behind."
I'm not so sure that I agree with this Hippie. Above all other contenders, Gulliani (once he makes his run official) has the best chance out of ANYONE of taking home the 2008 bacon. While I think that Republican supporters have had just about enough of Bush, I don't see their support for the entire party suffering. Besides, Gulliani has what no other politician does: 9/11 selling pieces. This guy became a household name after 9/11 (not to suggest that he actually DESERVED it, but he has it nonetheless). If anybody's in a position to ride the emotional wave all the way to the white house (which, apparently, is all a person needs to be elected), it's Rudy.
It disgusts me to admit it, but that's how it is...
Another way to look @ this, as I learned from reading the latest issue of Time, is that the relative unknowns (Obama, Richardson, etc.) have a much greater chance of gaining support over the next year & a half. Why? For the fact that these unknowns possess the very distinct advantage that most of us don't know them. Sure, Billary is ahead in many polls, but everybody already knows her, er, them. And since nearly everybody already either loves or hates her, excuse me, them, then that doesn't leave many leftover to potentially join her, dammit, their camp.
Hey Dre,
Well, he's not in yet, but he has set up an exploratory committee which is the first step. I didn't look it up but I can't remember anyone going from Mayor to President. He did get a lot of good press after 9/11, but so did Bush. Here's a little tidbit that shows why I don't think he has much of a chance...."Giuliani's first marriage was to his second cousin, Regina Peruggi. They were married for 14 years, before Giuliani had their marriage annulled by the Catholic church. His second marriage was to Donna Hanover, a reporter and sometimes soap-opera actress. Havover was the city's First Lady while Giuliani was mayor, but she stayed farther and farther out of the public spotlight as Giuliani was widely whispered to be swiving his press secretary, Cristyne Lategano. After Lategano left City Hall, Giuliani took up with a divorced nurse, Judith Nathan. Never one for subtlety, Giuliani and Nathan marched side-by-side in the St. Patrick's Day parade, where the city's mayor traditionally walks with his wife." It's hard to believe the RNC will get Rudy past the right-wing dominated Convention.... but I've been wrong before.
Hey Nic,
You make some good points about not knowing being a bit of an advantage. But you also have to consider that after all we've grown to know about Billary there's not much left that wouldn't be old news. I think you may be under the common misconception that we the people elect these bums. WE just pick between the two bums we're left with. The machinery of the two parties picks their man. Just look at how the DNC killed Howard Dean, come on, there's been lots worst gaffs than just a moment of bad screaming. The DNC wanted him out so their pre-picked Kerry would be in. Dean threw a fit and was rewarded with a nice position to keep his mouth shut. Hilary's in unless she blows it herself, I mean themselves. By the way, thanks for covering my back on Theirspace. You left burned bodies everywhere.
HC, I think you overestimated the amount of concern that the Republican base seems to have with "moral and family values" when it comes to their own. Let's not sell the midterm elections as the point at which Republican voters declared with one loud voice that they will no longer tolerate GOP corruption and moral lacking. Instead, they just wanted to send a message to THE FOLKS WHO WENT DOWN. They wanted to send a message to the Jack Abramoffs, the Scooter Libby's, the Mark Foleys. NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS will Republican voters think as poorly for a guy like Guiliani; especially given the 9/11 press this guy received.
I'm sorry, but Rudy still has the best chance to work the masses. Sadly.
Are you saying the Republicans are having trouble with their morality??? (Sarcasm added for flavor) Face it, you just want to be able to chant RUDY! RUDY! like in the movie. He may get the nod, but I'll be suprised. If he does Hillary won't have to worry about him bringing up Bill's infidelity.
Since you brought up the Libby Trial...When is Richard Armitage going to be charged?? I don't get it, if it's so wrong to out Valerie Plame/Wilson why won't they charge Armitage, who confessed, verified by all involved??
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