Clinton, McCain are '800-pound gorillas' of 2008 presidential race

[The Straight Story]

Clinton, McCain are '800-pound gorillas' of 2008 presidential race

WASHINGTON (AP) If you want to be the next president, it's time to start running unless your name is Hillary Rodham Clinton or John McCain. They can wait. And wait, as front-runners tend to do.

``They're 800-pound gorillas,'' says Democratic consultant Jeff Link of Iowa. ``They're well-known, well-liked and will be heavy favorites in their respective parties.''

What does that mean for the other 15 or so Democrats and Republicans considering a 2008 bid? It's time to get hustling. They have a brief window of opportunity to quietly establish themselves as credible candidates before the early front-runners decide whether to seize center stage.

Joe Biden gets it. The Delaware senator announced Sunday that he intends to seek the Democratic nomination and will determine this year whether he can win. Two days later, he delivered what amounted to the first speech of the 2008 campaign, accusing President Bush of ``misleading statements and premature declarations of victory'' in Iraq.

While they have been less open about their ambitions, several other candidates have been in the hunt for weeks:

http://kdka.com/panews/PA--2008-GorillaWars-dn/resources_news_html

[BlueEyedSon]

1. We can just replay Bush's smear of McCain from the 2000 primary.

[leyton]

16. A smear is exactly what it is.

You may not agree with John McCain as a politician, but what Bush and Rove did to McCain in South Carolina was unconscionable.

[mckara]

2. The Truth

Daily Kos did a poll and I believe the results showed the following.

Wesley Clark
undecided
Hillary Clinton

[iwantmycountryback]

3. 4th was Feingold

Only 28 votes fewer than Hillary, and his name recognition is almost squat compared to Hillary.

[CityDem]

4. Where is Joe Biden

I guess he is just a 50 pound chimp.

[election_2004]

5. And so it continues......

The Talking Heads really want to make this decision for the voters!

[baron j]

6. I think they are really trying to force Clinton on us, because they

think she'd lose.

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Exactly

They're underestimating her I think. My mother said she'd vote for her and my grandparents probably would as well cause of Bill and her health care plans. Heck, they voted for Kerry last time. ;) I think they're trying to do to us like they did Dean but the opposite. They so want to manipulate us into having her as our nominee and they think she's running. Remember the whole "liberal media" myth out there. They're trying to make it seem like a lot of democrats/liberals want Hillary to run and so in the primaries people will have the need to vote for her because so many (they think) will want her. I'm not sure myself even though she has given a lot of clues that could be taken as her running. I do like Mrs. Clinton but I want someone else whether it be Clark, Kerry again, Bredesen (Tn gov) or whoever. They're so fascinated with the Clinton's it's disgusting and obsessive and unhealthy. I've never seen anything like it before! Either corporation groups are backing Hillary and that's why they're forcing her and will make it towards she will win with no problem or they think she'll be easy to beat and they won't have a reason to steal another election. I don't know which one but they are trying to manipulate us that I know. I'd like to choose my own canidate thank you very much.

[election_2004]

10. Take a look at Blanche Lincoln

http://www.lincoln2008.com

[election_2004]

11. Not necessarily....

It's a win-win situation for them.

If she loses, it will be the story of a "political icon" falling from grace.

If she wins, they will have at least 4 years to sensationalize Hillary's presidency and that will make it easier for them to distract the public away from the important issues that matter.

[tedoll78]

12. I think that's more realistic.

When Hillary is the topic, she brings viewers/readers/media consumers from both sides of the aisle.. those who love her, and those who hate her. That spells ratings, print sales, etc etc.

If Hillary is the nominee against, say, George Allen or Bill Frist (each of whom are less-known to the American public), then the media will protray the general election as.. "HILLARY HILLARY HILLARY Clinton (versus some Southern Republican..)" She'd end-up overshadowing a non-McCain or non-Giuliani candidate.

[election_2004]

15. I don't understand why Dems can't see this!

It really begs the question...WHY can't Democratic leaders across the country question the tactics of the mainstream media's sensationalist agenda (when it comes to a Hillary presidency), rather than falling blindly in line behind Hillary's supporters for an '08 run?

[IndianaGreen]

7. McCain has a few screws loose in his head

The Religious Right will never vote for him. The Left loaths him.

As to Hillary, time will only tell. Hillary will beat the Republican nominee in 2008, whoever he is, but will she win our hearts?

[FreedomAngel82]

9. I agree about McCain

You can tell he's trying to win Bush's favor. I sense though that Bush doesn't really care for McCain so that's why he's whoring around for Bush and telling lies etc. He's also trying to appeal to moderate democrats and indie's like with the "compromise" on the filibuster. That got the freepers pissed off at him and he hasn't done enough for the fundies to vote. Whoever the nominee is for 2008 will be interesting. Also whoever is the nominee will have to have Bush campaigning and supporting them or their die-hard supporters won't support the nominee. That's why, I think, McCain is whoring around for Bush and why he wasn't on Kerry's side this last time.

[montana500]

13. Hillary Clinton would get trounced by Mcain..

and then another Bush would be in the white hosue (ole Jeb).


No way in hell can Hillary beat MCain. NO WAY.

[leesa]

14. Oh goodie. They've chosen our candidates. And imagine, they will

be well-liked by the corporations. What a coincidence.