Who is the next Dean?

[Nebraska_Liberal]

Who can progressives throw their support behind in 08? We know that we need a canidate that will take the fight to the Republicans and not simply dodge questions and quietly agree(Kerry). Who is the Best canidate for 08? I don't care if they are Democrat, Green, Peace and Freedom, Independent, or Socialist. Who do you think should stand up and run, who lots of people can gather behind to make a change?

[MsAnthropy]

1. DEAN!

He's not finished yet, not by a long shot.

[Jade Fox]

11. Yes, Dean is still the best Dean around. n/t

[MadisonProgressive]

2. Oprah!!! She'd win in a landslide!!!!!

[pbca]

3. I agree

But I don't know what skeletons she may have in the closet, she hasn't been too heavily scrutinized to date.

[mazzarro]

5. She will not like to forego the adoration of her fans

Taking strong position on controversal issues will hard for her to do. And she will not want to whatever rw-fans she has - IMHO.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

6. You have to be kidding.

Oprah seems to me to be fairly conservative, if not ill informed and out of the loop on most issues. Sure she may be against the war, and she likes to help poor people by giving away free cars, but she is way out of touch from the working people.

[MadisonProgressive]

12. Yes, I was kidding

[nickshepDEM]

4. Its hard to say, but Feingold and Clark come to mind.

Both have the potential to emerge as the anti-establishment/anti-dlc candidate. Wes and Russ could emerge as the 'internet' candidate, which would mean a ton of small donors via the internet, but I doubt either could compete with Deans following from 2004. Too many candidates now know the importance of a strong internet campaign.

[Armstead]

7. I'd like to see Barbara Boxer get ambitious

She seems to be the right mix of mainstram Democrat and liberal left that different factions of Democrats could support.

Her background has been kind of centrist on a lot of issues, but she's also plainly liberal and has been an outposken critic of the war.

Maybe she'd be perceived as a latte sipping liberal elitist by some, but she's a fighter and could address such criticism head on.

[radio4progressives]

16. She's my Senator - and I really like her a lot - but not as president

She's unable to communicate effectively in the way any "leader of the free world" should be able to. She's a little bit mushy mouthed on occasions, and too worried about how to frame things sometimes. She's not always able to come out and call a spade a spade, in straight forward terms - and that's the problem Kerry had.

I don't want to see it again in another presidential candidate. However, she has my full support as a Senator, I think she's doing great there and that's where we need her most.

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Right now my first choice is Feingold

I haven't seen anything clear yet if Kerry is running or not but I have of other democrats and so far my first choice is Feingold and my second is Warner.

[radio4progressives]

15. Feingold has my support, but wish we could find a POC with same positions

I'm harping on this a bit, i am very impressed with what I've seen in Feingold and agree with MOST of his positions I've seen him take in the Senate.

I just wish that we had a person of color who was like Feingold who shares solidarity on positions, similar charisma, strength in conviction, and equal ability to communicate those ideas as effectively as Feingold.

But I think it's too early to talk about 2008. I think we need to impeach, prosecute and convict the bastards in the WH now and in the meantime, 'look around' some more.

[NYCGirl]

9. Colorado Governor Brian Schweitzer

http://www.salon.com/news/lotp/2005/04/19/montana_governor/index.html?x

[Hippo_Tron]

20. You mean Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer

And unfortunately there is about zero chance that he will be running in '08. Perhaps he might go for it in (god forbid) 2012 or maybe 2016. If not, hopefully either Tester or Morrison will take "Connie" Burns' seat and Baucus will retire and Schweitzer will win Baucus' seat.

[NYCGirl]

22. Sorry, brain fart. Thank you!

Even read the Salon article again I posted the link to and still didn't catch my mistake. D'oh!

[blm]

10. Crack open a history book. You can't NAME one lawmaker who

investigated and exposed more government corruption by Republican administrations than John Kerry has throughout 35 years of public life.

Of course, you are welcome to try.

Even the snideness of your comment against Kerry is overshadowed by its' inaccuracy.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

17. I never said...

I never said that Kerry did not overturn gov't corruption. He did. He was a horrible presidential candidate though. If he really felt so strongly about being against the war at the time why didn't he speak out about it? Could it be that he is now speaking out against it because gasp, the polls show it is an unpopular war? What a strong willed leader, he will do the right thing only if it is the popular thing. i voted for Kerry, and thought he had fairly good intentions on many issues. He was however incoherent as a candidate and thus a poor choice. We should not choose a candidate simply upon "electability" which inevitably means pandering to conservatives on many issues.

[blm]

18. Don't mischaracterize him just because the media did.

And lots of us chose him for the FACT that he has effected this nation's real history more positively over the last 35 years than most of congress put together.

[LSparkle]

13. John Edwards

He was talking about poverty before Katrina (and has been putting his time into a poverty center at UNC Chapel Hill), he has been traveling abroad to increase his foreign policy portfolio, and he's got the "sunny optimism" of ... yes, flame away, but it worked for him ... Ronnie Raygun. Plus even James Carville says he's the best campaigner he's seen since Big Dawg. John Edwards WILL BE PRESIDENT one day -- I'm just hoping it happens in '09 so we can get down to gluing back together our shattered country.

[Dawgs]

14. Bill Clinton!!!

I heard they have the new face replacement surgery, and... well... never mind.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Wesley Clark

The guy is tough as nails. He's also not even being mentioned by the media in this early stage and that's a damn good thing. Clark is also the only person that I have seen who is able to get the middle and the left to passionately support him. He's the perfect person if we want party unity.

Russ Feingold could also be the one as well.

[dae]

21. I'm with you on Gen. Clark. The media and the GOP would just ...

love for him to go away.

[Dawgs]

23. Agree on Clark...

He's not a Senator(Clinton, Obama, Kerry, Edwards), and he's strong on defense. It's kinda hard to attack a soldier as being weak; especially one with his credentials.

[MaineDem]

24. Hard to tell so early. Work on '06 and then look for a candidate.

Much can and will happen between now and the '08 campaign. I hope people will not lose focus on the '06 elections in their enthusiasm for finding a Presidential candidate.