Democrats '08 - Picks and Pans
The Washington Post’s June 18, 2006 article about Senator Barack Obama as a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2008 got me thinking about who I would like to see run and who I would not like to see run.
My Picks:
Senator Barack Obama – An engaging personality and a charismatic speaker. His compelling personal story is a great example of an America filled with possibilities.
Senator Russ Feingold – He displays solid, common sense values. I admire him because he is one of the few politicians standing up for truth and freedom on issues such as the war in Iraq, the Patriot Act and NSA wiretapping.
Governor Brian Schweitzer – My long shot pick. First Democratic governor in Montana in over 30 years. He is pushing lobbying reform and alternative fuels. Refused to fill out interest group questionnaires when running for office. Could he make enough of an impact in Iowa to gain momentum?
Not Sure:
Mark Warner – Seems a little bland. He appears to be 2nd runner up if Hillary Clinton does not make it. I am willing to give him a chance but it has to be about more than being from Virginia and liking NASCAR.
My Pans:
Senator Hillary Clinton – She certainly has the name recognition and the money machine. Many Democrats do not seem to like her. How are Republicans going to feel? Do we really want to give anyone the opportunity to dredge up the Clinton era scandals? Let’s make a deal: No one named Bush or Clinton in the White House for a long while.
Senator Joseph Biden - Snooze
Al Gore and Senator John Kerry – They are both honorable, decent, dedicated public servants. I put them together because they both should have won but did not. It should not have even been close. There may be second acts in politics but I am not willing to take the chance.
Finally, I have some advice for the Democratic Party and any potential candidates. Taking the high road in an election is a noble and worthy goal. Discussion of the issues is always preferable to mudslinging. However, sometimes you have to fight back. You cannot follow the Marquis of Queensbury rules when your opponent pulls out the brass knuckles.
My Picks:
Senator Barack Obama – An engaging personality and a charismatic speaker. His compelling personal story is a great example of an America filled with possibilities.
Senator Russ Feingold – He displays solid, common sense values. I admire him because he is one of the few politicians standing up for truth and freedom on issues such as the war in Iraq, the Patriot Act and NSA wiretapping.
Governor Brian Schweitzer – My long shot pick. First Democratic governor in Montana in over 30 years. He is pushing lobbying reform and alternative fuels. Refused to fill out interest group questionnaires when running for office. Could he make enough of an impact in Iowa to gain momentum?
Not Sure:
Mark Warner – Seems a little bland. He appears to be 2nd runner up if Hillary Clinton does not make it. I am willing to give him a chance but it has to be about more than being from Virginia and liking NASCAR.
My Pans:
Senator Hillary Clinton – She certainly has the name recognition and the money machine. Many Democrats do not seem to like her. How are Republicans going to feel? Do we really want to give anyone the opportunity to dredge up the Clinton era scandals? Let’s make a deal: No one named Bush or Clinton in the White House for a long while.
Senator Joseph Biden - Snooze
Al Gore and Senator John Kerry – They are both honorable, decent, dedicated public servants. I put them together because they both should have won but did not. It should not have even been close. There may be second acts in politics but I am not willing to take the chance.
Finally, I have some advice for the Democratic Party and any potential candidates. Taking the high road in an election is a noble and worthy goal. Discussion of the issues is always preferable to mudslinging. However, sometimes you have to fight back. You cannot follow the Marquis of Queensbury rules when your opponent pulls out the brass knuckles.
posted by dbf729 at 7:58 PM
2 Comments:
A commenter on My First Post referred to my Democratic picks and asked about Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana. There are a number of potential candidates who I did not list because I have not read or heard enough about them to give an opinion. Senator Bayh is one of them. Others are Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Governor Tom Vilasick of Iowa. The appeal of Senator Bayh to some Democrats is that he is a centrist/moderate from a red state. This gets into the broader debate in the Democratic Party of whether it should be moving to the center, as the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) types believe, in order to appeal to the red states, or should emphasize its progressive and liberal roots.
A commenter on My First Post referred to my Democratic picks and asked about Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana. There are a number of potential candidates who I did not list because I have not read or heard enough about them to give an opinion. Senator Bayh is one of them. Others are Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Governor Tom Vilasick of Iowa. The appeal of Senator Bayh to some Democrats is that he is a centrist/moderate from a red state. This gets into the broader debate in the Democratic Party of whether it should be moving to the center in order to appeal to the red states, or should emphasize its progressive and liberal roots.
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