Some thoughts on the Democratic presidential candidates

[bluestateguy]

I have been taking some down time after the midterms, and then the holidays, and I have been consciously making it a point to not follow the premature 2008 "campaign" that has been going on since, oh, well, about November 8 of 2006.

I want mt post-midterm election downtime DAMMIT, and I will have it even if the corporate media doesn't wants me to have it. We need to go back to the good old days when campaigns didn't even start until Labor Day.

That said, here are my early thoughts on the field:

Hillary Clinton: She can raise a ton of money, enough to opt out of the public financing, and enough to run a 50 state campaign. I like that. On the other hand, she is terribly polarizing. There is not much energy in the Right these days. If we nominate Hillary, they will have all of the motivation they need. I also feel as if she has now missed the boat on coming out against the war in Iraq. It's too late now: if she becomes anti-war, it will lack credibility and probably please no one. The Naderities also seem to have it in for her too.

John Edwards: Southern, working class background, very telegenic and a great debater. As a lawyer, he can raise plenty of cash, though maybe not as much as Hillary. He is talking about all of the right issues, and he has been man enough to admit he was wrong about Iraq. One downside, as a trial lawyer, expect much mobilization against him from the Chamber of Commerce crowd and doctors if he is the nominee.

Barack Obama: I just never caught on to the so-called "Obamamania". I still can't shake this feeling that he is green: not yet ready for prime time, though maybe ready for early afternoon. He has a lot of potential, maybe even to be president someday, but he still talks about issues with an annoying vagueness and generality. Let's also remember that he has never really had a serious race before: he beat Alan Keyes with 71% of the vote in his only election victory for federal office. He's early, though I think his heart is in the right place.

Joe Biden: A self-serving media whore who can always be found within 2 feet of a news camera. Loves to listen to himself talk. A whore for the credit card companies. 33 years of Senate votes. Rove's people will love that.

Bill Richardson: More than any of the candidates, he has the most presidential resume of domestic and foreign policy experience. He could put much of the mountain West in the Democratic column. He is pro-gun, which is a plus for me, and I could even see him winning the NRA's endorsement if Giuliani or McCain were to be his opponent. He can be mealy-mouthed and DLCish at times, and he has (unfairly, I think) Clinton Administration baggage.

Dennis Kucinich: Nice guy who speaks his mind, and I'm glad he's in the House...and he should stay there too. He is like a composite of McGovern, Mondale and Dukakis all wrapped up into one. I see Kucinich on TV and all I see is a map of 49 red states on election night.

Chris Dodd: A meaningless candidate who has made no impact on this race at all. A long, messy Senate voting record that is just waiting for Karl Rove's stormtroopers to dive into.

Mike Gravel: Remember that episode of "Happy Days" where Fonzie jumped over the shark?

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Obama ran against Blair Hull ( super financed and the favored) and

Obama got the dem. nomination. Keyes was a last min replacement after they searched a month to run someone against him after ryan's campaign imploded (Obama was kicking his ass at that time and no repub would run against him. They imported Keyes.) Obama comes out of the hard school of Chicago politics.
Want to know about the issues, visit his web site. He has a ton of information on alot of the issues.
But, he is vague on the trail right now as the 2 month strategy to introduce himself on the road to voters.