<p>Bush:“You forgot Poland”</p>
<p>Thats the dumbest response I have heard in the history of presidential debated :)</p>
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<p>I think that both Reagan and Clinton connected with the American people in way that Gore, Kerry, and both George Bushes have not.</p>
<p>I agree with intereddad. Reagan’s and Clinton’s victory were “epic.”</p>
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<p>Cheers and whistles, IDad. The Dems just need to pick up a very few percent of the working class white vote and the ball game is theirs.</p>
<p>Aries, Romney getting the <em>Massachusetts</em> <em>gubernatorial</em> nomination says nothing about him getting a <em>national GOP</em> <em>presidential</em> nomination. Take, for instance, the South Carolina primary.</p>
<p>Xiggi, yes, we have less “vision” now than in 2000. The Busheviks confuse narrow flag-waving nationalism with patriotism, rigidity with strength, talk big about “democracy” but only if it doesn’t conflict with other needs of the moment (Uzbkeistan, Krygyzstan), and the democracy stays within pre-drawn “bright lines” of what is and isn’t acceptable (the current Iraqi government), or a dicatorship is convenient (Pakistan, one popular coup away from Islamists gaining nuclear weapons), and completely ignoring when democracy yields a result they don’t like (see also, elections in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon).</p>
<p>Kinda like their idea of domestic “bi-partisanship” means to smile and do it their way.</p>
<p>Yes, their vision, where General Shinseki, the State Department, and Colin (“You break it, you own it”) Powell were wrong and Ahmed Chalabi and “Curveball” were right.</p>
<p>A vision of aggressive unilateralism, that if applied by other countries, would give China a free shot at Taiwan, India a shot at Pakistan, and would have justified Serbian ethnic cleansing of Bosnia.</p>
<p>A vision of a cartoon world of evildoers who hate freedom and those who don’t agree with US policy hate the U.S.</p>
<p>Speak to me not of their so-called vision.</p>
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Aggressive unilateralism may be the only thing keeping China from having a free shot at Taiwan…what’s the UN going to do, impose sanctions? A Sneakers for food program? Kofi would love that…a good pair of Nikes is much more expensive than a barrel of oil. Of course, maybe China could persuade the UN to authorize a necessary force resolution for the invasion of Taiwan. Or not.</p>
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<p>The succession of moderate pro-choice Republican governors in Massachusetts is mostly a protest against the corrupt Democratic controlled State House that runs the state. See South Boston’s finest, the Bulger Bros. Whitey the Mob boss and his brother Billy the Political Boss – same basic job description; they just worked for different companies, so to speak.</p>
<p>I, for example, would not vote for a Republican candidate for the US Congress from Massachusetts (when they even bother to run one). But, I routinely vote for the Republican gubernatiorial candidate, because it’s the only way to ensure that the governor is not in the hip pocket of the Senate Majority leader and the state patronage machine. It has nothing to do with party affiliation or even political philosophy in any conventional sense. It’s all about checks and balances, IMO.</p>
<p>“Speak to me not of their so-called vision.”</p>
<p>I return the compliment … only speaking about the so-called vision of the former government.</p>
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<p>This is exactly the kind of super-emotive, quasi-religious talk that gives me pause. She is a politician, Xiggi. End of story. You hate her as a politician, because, of course, you do not know her otherwise. Correct? There is no need to tinge your argument with spittle.</p>
<p>Not so sure about the soccer moms or the white working class voters of Ohio, Missouri (The Show Me State) and Iowa. Will theyl be swayed by Hillary’s supposed re-positioning? If she DID have the organizational power and pull of Rove, then she might have a go. </p>
<p>Otherwise…I doubt it. </p>
<p>My midwestern once-voted-for-Eugene-McCarthy mother voted against Bush the second time around, but I doubt she would vote for Hillary. No way, no how. First off, my father would croak. Second, HC’s soccer mom appeal is WAY limited, like maybe to the two coasts. So says me. </p>
<p>The Dems are short on star power and short on organization, never mind idealogues. I wish it weren’t so.</p>
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<p>Seems to me that both sides are short on STAR power for 2008. I guess that’s why both Hill and Condi seem appealing their respective parties. If there were super strong males in waiting, I’d say, not a chance, not yet at least. But considering the lack thereof, who knows?</p>
<p>My husband’s theory is that Cheney will resign “for health reasons” halfway through the term to allow a new vice-president time to build credibility. This could be Condi, Frist…any other ideas?</p>
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<p>I’m not so sure about that. If I’m not mistaken, polling shows a host of family issues (health care, education, care for the elderly, etc.) that are meaningful to women voters.</p>
<p>Even a red-meet issue like abortion has strong majority pro-choice support among women voters. </p>
<p>The beauty of Hillary’s Houdini-act is that her political record was a clean slate starting five years ago. By my reckoning, she has spent the last five years building a record of Senate votes to run on and that record has, in all likelihood, been specifically designed to innoculate herself against the expected attacks. For example, it is going to be hard to hammer her for being soft on defense as a sitting member of the Armed Services Committee who has consistent voted for military appropropriations bills, including the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions.</p>
<p>I wanna watch the first time some old white guy attacks her on a woman’s right to choose in a debate. There are a number of standard GOP issues like that which would be a suicide mission for an old white guy. How do you attack a mother on “family valyoos?”</p>
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<p>I’ve seen nothing to suggest that Condolizza Rice is an appealing candidate to the Republican party.</p>
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But, when was the last time either party’s eventual winner was a star 3 years prior to the election? Possibly Reagan. Before that, perhaps Ike? Based on recent history it appears to be the exception rather than the rule to have star billing this early in the election cycle. But, from a name recognition perspective, the Republicans have both Rudy and McCain. Condi also has good name recognition, as does Powell if either had an inclination to run. My probablities for those who throw there name in:</p>
<p>Republicans:
McCain - 90%
Rudi/Rudy - 90%<br>
Frist - 90%
Condi - 25%
Powell - 5%
Cheney - 2%
Huckabee - 25%
Romney - 40%
Hagel - 50%
Gingrich - 25%</p>
<p>Democrats:
Hillary - 95%
Kerry - 90%
Gore - 60%
Edwards - 80%
Biden - 90%
Clark - 90%
Richardson - 50%
Sharpton - 100%</p>
<p>Did anyone feel Kerry is going to run for President again??</p>
<p>My guess is that he’ll try to, but lose pretty horribly during the primaries, a la Joe Lieberman, who had a lot of support on Al Gore’s ticket (the “Kangaroo ticket,” in which the back half is stronger than the front), but barely made a ripple during the Democrats primaries.</p>
<p>A timely article on Rice (and a list of other potential candidates):
<a href=“It's Condi Time - ABC News”>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=837763&page=1</a></p>
<p>Did anyone see that commercial for a made-for-tv movie during the Pistons game on ABC last night?</p>
<p>The premise was that a woman becomes president because she was VP when the real president resigned.</p>
<p>MAde for TV movies are infamous for their horrible and unrealistic plots, but even they wouldn’t make a movie about a woman getting elected! It’s just not going to happen. Sharpton has a better chance of winning a general election than does HC.</p>
<p>The truth about Hillary is that she is probably a very nice lady, smart, married for love, got wronged many times during the marriage (but not as egregiously as Mrs. Gingrich), decided that she was better with him than without him, cares about people - but not enough to sacrifice particularly for them, and has plenty of ambition.</p>
<p>Sounds like 90% of politicians of both parties to me. The reality is that most politicians are not particularly interesting people - their lives generally speaking follow a formula. I happen not to like her politics. But in the larger, global scheme of things, the differences between Hillary’s politics and that of most Republicans are relatively minimal.</p>
<p>Let me define ‘star’ power…gov of one of the largest states, owner of a baseball team, son of a former president. It’s not my sort of star, but it is plenty of ‘star’ power. Condi and Powell have it too–whether or not you like their politics or efforts. </p>
<p>Sharpton is the major URM on the Dem list? In 2005? That’s as bad as Middlebury’s diversity ratio and goes to the heart of the problem–weak organization. </p>
<p>Rudi is a bloody supernova, McCain might get crossover votes if Hillary runs. Put the Republican machine behind any of them and bingo presto.</p>
<p>Hillary might star power on the coasts, but, having lived in the midwest for eleven of the past fifteen years, I don’t remember one word of admiration–not even from my circle of highly successful, highly educated, professional and academic women friends (who would vote for her in a pinch). If I heard words about Hillary in those eleven years, they were of the “utterly wicked!” ilk, generated by the Rush Limbaugh crowd. </p>
<p>After Carter and Clinton, the Republicans got the Governor framework right–where are the star Dem governors? If Edwards was a Republican, he’d have been a governor by now. </p>
<p>I like the Cheney stepping down theory…that sounds about right…</p>
<p>Al Sharpton is, by far, my favorite politician. The man is hilarious.</p>
<p>In the debate right after Dean’s meltdown last year, Sharpton turned to Dean and said, “Howard, I just want you to know that you have nothing to apologize for in getting angry last week.” [Pause for Dean to turn and thank Sharpton for his graciousness. Sharpton then continued, “If I had spent has much money has you did to finish third a primary, I’d be hollerin’, too…”</p>
<p>If you ever get a chance to see Sharpton on Bill O’Reilly’s show, don’t miss it. It is very clear that they both like each other and enjoy the sparring match.</p>
<p>As for African-American VP candidates, it is possible that we will see Senator Barack Obama on a ticket with Hillary.</p>
<p>It’s just way too early to be handicapping the race.</p>
<p>As for African-American VP candidates, it is possible that we will see Senator Barack Obama on a ticket with Hillary.</p>
<p>I was also thinking the same!! I even read an article about it. Together, they seem to be a force to be reckoned with…</p>