If Al Gore was president....

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

everyone in politics wants to be president, that is like being a boxer and saying "i don't want a title fight" you want the title fight whether or not you are too old to train for one is another question


even Gilmore is running, and no one here can figure out why

It is called Egomanicia!

I ran for a public official job twice. Thank god I did not win!!!!!!!!!!!

Some one asked me why I was running for city council of KCK?

Told them it was a moment of stupid and $50.00!

[KSigkid]

Everyone is getting into the Democrat fray; even Dodd announced, although his run seems like more of a "last chance" thing. He's wanted to do it for a while, but Lieberman had pre-empted him.

I won't believe it yet, although I can't wait to hear the spin when some of the candidates on both sides get low poll/primary totals.

[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.

[LXAAlum]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

It is called Egomanicia!

I ran for a public official job twice. Thank god I did not win!!!!!!!!!!!

Some one asked me why I was running for city council of KCK?

Told them it was a moment of stupid and $50.00!

I've run two different campaigns, and have volunteered/consulted on others - after what I've seen can happen even in a state house race to family members, threats, etc....

I'd never run for office in all likelihood. Not that I wouldn't mind serving my country (again), but...not sure I'd put my family through the wringer to make it happen.

Current take on WH bids: Look for Obama and Hillary to engage in a true epic, knock-down drag-out bloodbath for the nomination - it could get so bad that the rest of the country is turned off by the eventual winner. GOP - I have a suspicion that Fred Thompson (yes, that guy from Law and Order) will run and give Rudy or Mitt a run for their money...and I like Thompson a lot - so/so on Mitt and Rudy right now....

[shinerbock]

I think a lot of conservatives are intrigued by Thompson. I'm still in the Romney camp right now, but it'll be interesting to see if Fred gets in. I've always liked him, but I'll need to see him start campaigning before I'd make a switch.

[UGAalum94]

Thompson's the guy who played the DA on Law and Order all those years,* right?

As solid a President as Ronald Reagan was, it's just a little to Post-Modern for me to think of an actor famous for playing a character concerned with politics getting elected president today. (he's clearly been elected to other offices plenty.)

It'd be sort of like Martin Sheen running for the Democratic nomination after the West Wing.

It's certainly not that I think Thompson is unelectable or unqualified. It just messes with my head.

*well a few years anyway.

[shinerbock]

Well there is the obvious difference that Martin Sheen is an ignorant moron, and Thompson is a former US Senator. But yeah, i understand what you're saying.

[UGAalum94]

I'm not as sure that ignorant moron and former US Senator are as mutually exclusive as you seemed to be, but I take your point.

[shinerbock]

Well, I'm sure they're not, however, Martin Sheen is a pretty big moron.



Granted, I did like the west wing.