If Al Gore was president....

[UGAalum94]

Who do you expect to be the viable party candidates next time around? I draw a big blank for both parties. Some folks seem attractive, but I can't see them getting enough of the party behind them.

[shinerbock]

Viable GOP candidates: McCain, Rudy, Romney
Talked about/VP possibilities: Jeb, Huckabee, Brownback


Viable Dem candidates: Hillary, Obama

Could win(but DNC won't help)/VP possibilities: Edwards, Bayh

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Viable GOP candidates: McCain, Rudy, Romney
Talked about/VP possibilities: Jeb, Huckabee, Brownback


Viable Dem candidates: Hillary, Obama

Could win(but DNC won't help)/VP possibilities: Edwards, Bayh

My ill informed opinions:

GOP: This maybe because I'm in Georgia and my frame of reference is messed up, but McCain, Rudy, and Romney won't bring out the bible thumper base. (I like all of them all right, but there's a group of GOP voters that you will lose with any of them; although maybe less so with McCain) Jeb won't appeal to anyone. Huckabee and Brownback, I've got no opinion.

Does anyone really like Hillary? Obama, we all like, but we fear he lacks substance and experience. We want to be the kind of people who would vote for him, but I don't know if we feel confident he can broker the power. Maybe the combination would have it all. Hillary seems ruthless; Obama brings the character. Would either be the VP for the other?


Edwards doesn't do much for me: a plaintiffs' lawyer who went into politics: that's a good thing? Bayh, I have no opinion.

[shinerbock]

Romney is the most conservative of the big 3. He's the best speaker as well. Most conservatives in the know think he'll be the real deal come primary time. Him not doing well with evangelicals only matters for the primary. Theres a big difference between being reluctant to vote for a mormon and voting for Hillary. I really would prefer not to see Jeb on a ticket, but interestingly he polls well as a VP candidate. I still think there will be reluctance to put a Bush on in 08, but Jeb will be involved in presidential politics at some point in the future.

For the left, Obama is a good candidate but once again, I think him running is a potentially severe mistake. I don't think he can win yet, and taking it all the way to the primary or general would mean getting dirty (Edwards 04) and that damages a candidate. Bayh would be a great candidate, but thankfully the DNC won't push him (Same thing as Romney, except that Romney is/will get a lot of RNC support).

[UGAalum94]

Romney has more social liberal positions than you might think, or at least he has in the past.

It's not a problem for me and might be an asset to others, but if evangelicals are critical, I'm not sure they'll vote for him.

[shinerbock]

Trust me, I'm aware of Romney's positions. You're right, they have been less than staunch in the past, but that seems to have changed somewhat. Again, if he gets to the general, it won't matter with evangelicals. They're not going to vote for Hillary or Obama.

[UGAalum94]

Sure if they vote, they aren't going to vote for Hillary, but I think there's a chance that they just won't vote.

If the party abandons their positions, I think they may try to punish the party to flex their political muscle.