<p>In the public imagination it would be more proper to say:</p>
<p>Rich guy -from Texas (who fell into it–as Iranians say–ass-backward into honey)
.v
Social climber -from New England (who married his way into money and fabricated his way into power)</p>
<p>"You should listen, Opie, especially since it’s your brother, and for the same reason you should consider what the Swift Boat Vets say about Kerry’s service.</p>
<p>Please thank your brother for his service to our country."</p>
<p>Thank you, and I did listen at the time, it’s that the timing went hand in hand with a motive that I ended up questioning. </p>
<p>However, understand I had no love for either candidate. To me, it was a selection between Dumb and Dumber. Dumber won, and the Dumb guy lost. Neither is anywhere close to representing the views I have. I’m more of a Scoop Jackson guy… a hawkish democrat. Good for the economy, military and people. Neither of these guys fit that bill, which is a shame for America. I can only hope that the next choices have more centerists views.</p>
<p>Nixon will probably be the last Presidential candidate to get 2 bites of the apple - by getting the nomination twice. Kerry is done, period.</p>
<p>Could be Hillary vs Romney, and I believe Romney would win - unless the BIG DIG COLLAPSES in the main tunnel - which actually has a fair chance of happening</p>
<p>If you don’t know who scoop was he was a Washington Senator who passed away the night the North Koreans shot down a commerical airliner that had wandered into their airspace. </p>
<p>Scoop believed in a strong national defence and social reform. I really don’t know who out there fits that bill today.</p>
<p>I remember Scoop–the closest Dem now is Leiberman.</p>
<p>“I knew Scoop. Scoop was a friend of mine. Senator Lieberman, you’re no Scoop Jackson.”</p>
<p>I dunno about that. Leiberman puts me to sleep. Henry had a much better command of the spoken word. Joe L reminds me of the guy in “Office Space” whose stapler gets taken. Maybe it’s his presence. </p>
<p>In a funny but odd note in todays news. The guy who funded the swift boat ads is back again with 5 million for ads to unseat some demos in certain markets. The ads link certain senators with Hillary, Teddy and the crazy lady who slapped the security officer… How bout that? :)</p>
<p>“Again, what are you saying that’s really a difference?”</p>
<p>What I’m saying is that Kerry campaigned as representative of the “party of change”. What he displayed instead was an ineptitude, a lack of warmth, and a lack of understanding of the people he was hoping to represent, and tried to cover it up with a bunch of war hero nonsense (whether it was true or not is not the point.) He also was a dupe - by November 2004 did anyone really have any idea of what he would have done, and would do differently? He sat there quite comfortably while Clinton/Albright killed a half a million children, and caused an international outcry against genocide (that then brought us “oil for food”.) Where was John Kerry? Where was he when Colin Powell went on international television and lied to the entire world, and was revealed as a liar (for the second time, the first following the Gulf War) not two days after he delivered the speech by an amateur reporter in Kurdistan? In short, what qualified him, other than his access to wealth, his height, and his nondescript terms as Senator to be the “leader of the (a-hem) free world”?</p>
<p>He doesn’t have to come from a scrapple background. He DOES have to show at least a little bit of understanding of the people in the country he seeks to lead, and just not look and sound so plainly out to lunch.</p>
<p>
I did see that 
And now Kerry is back, swearing to “kick the Swiftees *sses all the way across America”:
<a href=“Examiner is back - Examiner.com”>Examiner is back - Examiner.com;
And head swiftee John O’Neill has responded:
Honestly, it’s like they read CC or something…right on cue.</p>
<p>is Obama not on the plate for 2008? =(. 2012 maybe…</p>
<p>If the Democrats were far sighted or mildly organized, they’d find a way to make Obama the Governor of Illinois.</p>
<p>Last I heard, Obama had neither confirmed nor denied a presidential run.</p>
<p>Much like Gore. <_<</p>
<p>Ohh, the thread is something interesting now as opposed to more Bush-talk.</p>
<p>The Dems have a good chance in 2008 as long as they don’t run a complete putz. And I’m not even necessarily rooting for them. However, incumbent fatigue and the general pattern after two-term execs shows us that the nation is likely to just vote in a Dem for the sake of “a change.”</p>
<p>Hopefully the bigwigs have the good sense not to endorse someone completely unelectable. Oh wait, I forgot, the primaries are totally grassroots run and democratic. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Ari, </p>
<p>I think you may be right that incumbent fatigue could take a toll on Republicans. I have a gut feeling (and my gut has been wrong) that Rudy Giuliani would be a good GOP Presidental candidate. The conventional wisdom is that evangelicals would strenuously object to and/or stay home if Rudy is the nominee. From your “non-partisan” vantage point, Ari, what do you think about Rudy? Anyone else?</p>
<p>Rudy would be a tough choice for the GOP because they need to somehow keep a sense of political cohesiveness; his pro-choice, pro-gay stances are dangerous for a party that seems to have trouble defining itself outside of a few “hot-button” issues. George Allen might be a somewhat safer bet, I would say, though he’s a bit of an unknown to the “average Joe.” I could even see a Huckabee nomination. However, it’s hard to gauge the GOP right now, since they seem more concerned with holding together the upcoming election than 2008.</p>
<p>I’d say that if the GOP loses a number of seats, we might see far more “conservative” candidates come to the fore.</p>
<p>Gingrich coming up on the outside. Wouldn’t a Newt-Hillary battle be something to behold?</p>
<p>I think Allen may have macaca’d his chances. The Club for Growth is dead set against Huckabee, from what I understand. As for Giuliani, I’d like to see an adulterous-to-the-point-of-moving-his-mistress-into-the-mansion pro-Choice pro-gay right pro-gun control figure get the Republican nomination. Is McCain to old? Do the wingnuts that control the Republican process trust him? I don’t know the answer to either.</p>
<p>Greybeard: you got it one. In a different lifetime, I was on Scoop Jackson’s staff and I knew Richard Perle when he was a young fathead. Like him or not, Scoop had good strategic sense. I think he’d take Lieberman to the woodshed.</p>
<p>McCain is not too old, but he may well be something of a “wingnut”—damaged by those awful years in VC POW camps.
I doubt the Republicans trust him, as he can’t be entirely counted on to float the party agenda.</p>
<p>Too bad the GOP won’t run Giuliani. I’d vote for him. I’d also seriously consider voting for our current Gov. (D) Mark Warner. Centrists, both. Party affilliation don’t count for much in my book. </p>
<p>Note to grammar police: Ebonics intentional.</p>
<p>I would love to see Giuliani run, and I’d vote for him. I’m pretty conservative and opposed to abortion. But not every Republican votes that way based on moral issues – and, yes, I do think that adultery is wrong.</p>
<p>But more than anything else, I care about national security and strong leadership. Giuliani is not a push-over, and I can live with the other issues. But I want a President who takes action, like GWB, not one who goes to court.</p>
<p>And I think we should retire the grammar police – petty criticisms do nothing to further debate.</p>
<p>sjmom - You are in no postition to “retire” anyone but yourself. ; )</p>
<p>As for Giuliani, while he may be a sound choice, does anyone seriously think that one of Italian descent would have a prayer of being elected? This “melting pot” of ours has not melted the ethnicities enough to let his name pass without a serious hesitation. Besides, what if he is in collusion with the Vatican, or, gasp, the Cosa Nostra!!! Hell, he may even be one of those weirdos who espouses the virtues of bidets! Over my soiled, puritanical ass will he get elected!!!</p>
<p>And some wonder why liberal talk radio has failed once again.</p>