Campaign 2008 pre-show

It always amazes me the number of people who complain about elected officials when compared to the number of people who actually vote. But anyway, a friend asked me the other day what I thought of the candidates running for POTUS my answer kind of surprised them but it also got me thinking. So I figured I would post some brief comments on each of the top 4 candidates (according to polling) from each party. I will not provide you with which candidate I support, at least not yet. But I will provide at the end what I look for in a candidate. Also added with this are 3 polls to the right, I intend to try and reset them monthly and keep track of what people surfing the blogs think of the candidates.

First up the Democrats

Hillary Clinton – Yahoo Candidate page – Former first lady of President Bill Clinton, Hillary is a skilled politician, she knows what she wants and she’s been after since her husband was in the oval office. Elected to the senate after carpet bagging to New York in 2000, Senator Clinton has been a long standing critic of the Bush administration, yet voted to authorize the Iraq War. Senator Clinton was easily reelected to the senate in 2006. As far as party support, Clinton is a polarizing figure among democrats who while loved by some is absolutely hated by others, and out of all of the candidates has the highest negative name connotation in polling despite being the current Democratic frontrunner. Senator Clinton is only rated at 60% on civil right issues by the ACLU, indicating a mixed voting record. Hillary also comes off as a candidate who, like her husband, will promise anything to anyone to get elected, will the strategy pay off for her life it did Bill.

John Edwards – Yahoo Candidate page – One term Senator from South Carolina, Senator Edwards was elected to the senate in 1998. Rather than run for re-election in 2004, a race many expected him to loose, Edwards launched a bid for the presidency. After losing the 2004 Presidential Primary to Senator John Kerry Of Massachusetts Edwards was signed on as the VP running mate to Senator Kerry. Edwards has a reputation as a smooth talker, full of charisma and an easy speaking style reminiscent of Bill Clinton. Edwards so far has played the news cycles rather well and is sitting in third place, a position he know all too well can propel a person into the nomination. Question is, can Edwards convince the voter’s he’s more than just a smooth talker with a pretty smile and southern drawl.

Barrack Obama – Yahoo Candidates Page – Following 7 years in the Illinois State legislature, Barrack Obama now serves as the junior senator from Illinois. I’m going to out of character here, and Say I have met Senator Obama, and he truly is a very talented speaker, very down to earth, and very intelligent. Senator Obama carries with him a message of hope and unity, a message that has carried him from the streets of Chicago to a candidate for the presidency. Senator Obama is well spoken, with a popular message. However, the political newcomer to this level has made several gaffes that have drew the criticism of his rivals, question for me is are those gaffes the mark of someone who lacks the experience to be President, or of someone who is going to speak his mind, and not go with something just because that’s how it’s been done in the past. If the answer to that is the latter, then Senator Obama might just be the thing needed to lead this country in a new direction. He had just best hope he can live up to the expectations the media has built up around him since his speech at the 2004 DNC, by some reports you would swear he could walk on water.

Bill Richardson – Yahoo Candidates Page – A former U.N. Ambassador, and Governor of New Mexico. Governor Richardson is the only Hispanic Governor in the US right now. I can’t go into much detail because I honestly didn’t expect Governor Richards to be at this point. Although it should be pointed out, of the 4 democratic frontrunners, you have a woman, an African American, and a Hispanic. Anyone of them could mean a first in the history of the Presidency. Keep your eye on Governor Richardson, if the democrats loose in 08, he could be a standard bearer for 2012.

And now for Republican starting line up

Rudy Giuliani – Yahoo Candidates Page – The former tough on crime, many will argue excessively, Republican Mayor of New York City. In addition to winning in a city that was heavily democratic, Mayor Giuliani also led the city through the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and despite request to delay the elections to allow him to serve longer, Mayor Giuliani stepped aside allowing the elections to proceed as normal. However, the Mayor has some positions that make the conservative base rather nervous, and many in the party accuse him of being a liberal in disguise. The former Mayor also has a sorted background with extramarital affairs, and shady business dealings. Will Giuliani hold onto his lead and be able to win the GOP primary, and ultimately the presidency?

Fred Thompson – Yahoo Candidates Page – Fred D. Thompson, a former prosecutor serving during the Watergate scandal, won a special election in 1994 to fill the Tennessee senate seat vacated in 1994 by Al Gore when he became Vice President. Serving in the senate until 2003, Thompson was considered to be a reliable conservative vote. After leaving the senate in 2003 Thompson returned to acting, most notable as DA Arthur Branch in the popular Law and Order Series, and as President U.S. Grant in the historical accounts Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Thompson’s late entry into the race has raised the ire of many, and following lower than expected fundraising and staff shakeups, many have criticized his wife for being too involved and his ability to win. Thompson is also a proponent of federalism, and states’ rights meaning that the certain issues are not the responsibility of the federal government, and there should be less involvement of the federal government. Skipping the New Hampshire debate, Thompson announced his candidacy on the Tonight Show, and as a result has dominated the news cycles following the debate. This is either going to be one of the most effective strategies ever, or prove to be a disaster in real time.

Mitt Romney – Yahoo Candidates Page – Another potential president first, a Mormon by faith Romney, the son of George Romney himself a onetime presidential candidate, one term governor of Massachusetts, and head of the Salt Lake Olympic Games has been building up his run for some time now. My problem with Romney is I see him becoming the GOP version of John Kerrey, already stung by shifts in position from his time as Governor to now have been pointed out. One example of this is a letter he sent to gay and lesbian groups promising to work with them, then taking anti gay positions as a presidential candidate. He can talk a good talk, unfortunately his credibility for what he says is lacking.

John McCain –Yahoo Candidates page – Senator from Arizona, and Vietnam POW, John McCain has been a commanding political figure for the last several years. 2000 presidential front-runner and heir apparent until President George Bush surged winning the nomination. McCain has long championed and broke party lines to fight for campaign finance reform, McCain-Feingold. As far as his new Presidential campaign, by most accounts, the ship is sinking, understaffed, underfunded, and searching for a message that clicks. The other issue working against Senator McCain is his age, if elected he would be older than Ronald Regan was when he took office, raising many health questions, and at the first sign of a cold will turn message into one of the Senators Health, a presidential campaign can be trying on the fittest of people, let alone some one McCain’s age. Can he pull it together before the primary, time will tell.