Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., arguably never stopped running for president after losing in the 2000 GOP primaries to George Bush. So it surprised no one Sunday when he said he’s setting up the necessary committee to raise money for a 2008 run. Two big questions: Will the big business contributors and the conservative faithful favor him this time? And will voters be comfortable with a 72-year-old first-termer?
Meanwhile, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., sent another signal Sunday of his willingness to run for the Democratic nod. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., continues to acknowledge that he’s thinking about it.
One big problem facing all of the above, along with other likely contenders such as Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and even Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is voters’ traditional disdain for sitting senators who seek the presidency. The complete list of those who bucked the trend consists of John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Warren Harding in 1920.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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47 Comments
Can we possible stop the speculating about running for president in ‘08 and get on with governing in the interim?
The ENDLESS political posturing, by BOTH sides, is a large part of how we got the deeply bitter politics we all seem to decry.
I’ll worry about ‘08 when ‘08 arrives, thank you.
How thick does your head have to before you can see that the Iraqis want us out, and we are the problem. This so-called “war” was never about anything other than Israeli expansion. That has and is the Neocon PNAC goal. Saddam’s Army threatened Israeli expansion as does Iran. To the north Israel expansion was threatened by Hezbollah protecting Lebanon’s southern border.
If we want Israel is rule the Middle East and be in charge of the oil, then quit beating around the bush and just say so. Israel didn’t devastate Lebanon to get back two Israel soldiers, they did it as a part of the overall expansion. The Israelis didn’t want an all-out war, just to pick-off the countries one at a time.
Well, too bad it didn’t work, so lets bring our soldiers home, before one more is killed.
The game of “terror” is over.
Meet the Press Sunday with Joe { Israel } Lieberman and Maurene Dawd explains why Bush Sr took over.
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&t=s53&g=e10461f7-89e1-415c-aa58-80d1b6f8066e&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks
{ Toward the end Maurene Dawd of the NYT describes Bush as a kid under the influence by the Moonies, then being captured by Sr. and Baker to be “reprogrammed” }
Ed’s back!? Who let the lunatics out?
If both parties would attempt to enlist their grassroot citizens in Regional Retreats for idea generating sessions. The nation would be so much better. The quicker both parties realize that the grassroot citizens are interested in dialogue with their represtatives and each other rather than the DC lobbyists feeling they’re the only source of concepts and suggestions. The BETTER this nation will be.
Murtha was on NPR today talking about phased withdrawal. Man, it was good to hear some common sense for a change.
Mccain might as well run for the democratic nomination for as Republican as he is…
MCCain lost his political clout when he hooked his star to Bush
He is done
Phased withdrawal; is that like a “strict timetable” now being called for by the US?
HELLO ED
“Abizaid asked the Iraqi leader to give the U.S.military a firm timetable for when Iraq’s security forces couldtake full control of the country”
http://my.netscape.com/corewidgets/news/story.psp?cat=51180&id=2006111315030001332987
McCain the Waffler. Flip-flopper works just as well, but it’s SO overused.
I liked McCain, until he bent over for his party. It’s almost as if the neo-cons have offered him a deal. “Do our bidding, and we’ll see that you get the nomination, or perhaps the presidency.”
So he’s it? Where’s Jeb? Where’s Newt?
Nathan: Final two paragraphs of the linked article sure doesn’t sound like Sen. McCain has switched parties:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/13/iraq.next/index.html
Hi Tracy
GMC, were it was so. However, the conventional wisdom seems to be that in order to raise sufficient money to run, a presidential aspirant must start early; and, nowadays, close to the day after the mid-term election seems to be prime time for announcing the formation of a committee, although IMHO, the actual work begins much earlier.
McCain haggards for Bush and the Neocons and now he wants to be taken seriously as a candidate – not very likely.
McCain had credibility in 2000. He sold out and now is just a sad, old broken down political hack.
The Republicans better come up with something more than “Bush – the Sequel” or Obama is going to win in a landslide.
CNN.com reports that Rudy Giuliani is forming his committee; Sen. McCain has company.
McCain lost his credibility with moderates when he sucked up to Bush’s Righty Rights.
The job’s probably his if Guiliani doesn’t decide to run.
Guilini HAS decided to run.. he announced late this afternoon.
Regardless of what anyone thinks of Rudy, he will be a formidable candidate…with positive name recognition nationwide.
But…I gotta agree with GMC..there is far too much time running FOR office, and far too little time RUNNING the office.
Good to see ya again Ed.
Confirmed that Guliani(or how ever you spell it) has taken same action as McCain.
Likely either one of them was just waiting for the other. If Guliani had gone first McCain likely would have immediately followed.
This is gonna be FUN!
Neither McCain nor Guliani is acceptable to the rapture right. They are both pro-choice and do not care if gay people have civil unions.
But then certain ELEMENTS of the Christian faith are turning on the GOP anyway….
Prepare to watch the right alternately implode, explode, and maybe even shatter!
I like McCain. I think it’s time we had a president who has experienced first hand the brutality and horror of war, maybe he won’t be quite so eager to send soldiers into battle, especially if there are other options.
I wouldn’t be laughing JR. If the democrats put HRC and/or Barack Obama up there, they’re going to get spanked.
Ah but see Todd that’s the thing.
YOUR side does not get to choose our nominee. Hillary’s biggest campaigners are Rush and Hannity….who started “running against” her right after 2004. Obama may be a candidate…..SOMEDAY. Even so I think either of them can take McCain or Guliani.
Guliani’s ONLY card to play is 911. BUt people are sick of 911. What is more is that 5 years after the attack there is no memorial. WORSE, they are STILL finding remains. So Gulianis only card is now at the very best a wash.
McCain? I think he’s just plain nuts. He got smeared outta the primary by bush’s thug Karl Rove in 2000. That was early on. A FULL LENGTH campaign through winning the primaries and on would bust him open I think.
It’s going to be Rudy all the way.
The American People are going to see just how leftist and partisan the leadership of the Democratic Party is, which is not main stream American values.
It’s going to be a fun 08 for sure.
Rudy has too many skeletons in his closet to run, he is not a viable candidate.
As far as Dems.
Wes ClarkJohn KerryJohn Edwards
all are viable candidates
It was Rudy Giuliani who ran the mafia out of New York City. I’ll give him that, when he was mayor, the crime rate drastically declined; and that was after the do-nothing Dinkins administration.
The only one on that list Pam is Wes Clark.
John Kerry, although a favorite among leftist, isn’t going to have enough to win the Primary again.
John Edwards doesn’t have a chance, unless he wants to class-action his way to the Presidency. But only the ladies like him, and it isn’t for substance, experience or crediability.
“YOUR side does not get to choose our nominee.”
I don’t know what you mean by “my side”.
I, a staunch dem, like McCain. I also like Colin Powell. They just seem like real honest folks who want to do what is best for our country. I also would vote for Hillary because all in all I believe she still would make a good president. Both sides do the whole political dance, but when push comes to shove, I think all of them would stand up for what they feel is right.
Rudy, not on your life.
I find it amazing that people seem to know exactly what the new Democratic leadership is going to do ….. and are already resorting to name calling and speculation — we should look at and evaluate all politicians with the keen of caution and not let them betray the American poplulation — WE should hold all their feet to the fire on issues involving the Iraq war, immigration, ethics reform — it is about time there is a Congress that can provide some balance to the imperial presidency GWB and his goons wanted –
I used to think that McCain would make a good president — but he has sold out or been blackmailed by the White House to keep quiet — he no longer has a credible leadership character to unite behind —
Why do I think most of these people running for office are doing it to pad their campaign coffers so when they loose they get to keep what hasn’t been spent
… speaking of ethics —- I think there should be a Ethics committee for Congress comprised of unelected citizens ….
JR – you are wrong when you say that Rush et.al. started in Hillary after 2004. They started in after 2000. According to them she was the nominee in 2004.
Todd?
From your posts I have always understood you to be a bush Republican. That is what I meant by “your side”.
Sorry political mom. We will never get to know more about Colin Powell. bush put him out there in front of the whole world when he sent him to the UN to sell the Iraq war. Powell has NO political future. I don’t remember the last time we even HEARD from or about Colin Powell.
McCain? To what I said before I’d add this.
McCain cannot even stand up for himself. bush and Rove thouroughly trashed McCain in the 2000 primary. Since then, McCain has slavishly carried the water for them. I mean party loyalty is one thing. Taking it up the rear and then hugging your abuser is another.
Come to think of it Ben you are correct.
Back in 2000, Hannity was not national. Rush WAS declaring Hillary the Dem nominee in 2000.
Ken and JR,
My refusal to vote for McCain (and I might have, at one time) is the same reasons you posted. They smeared him, big time, yet he didn’t stand up to them and sold himself out. I think he’s a good man, but he showed a deep weakness in 2000.
As for Guiliani, I can’t think highly of a man who kept a mistress. Clinton’s Monica scandal and the rest were bad enough, but I just can’t give a nod of any kind to Guiliani.
Unfortunately, too many of our modern presidents have had women on the side. Good presidents, too. Even Eisenhower had Kay. I find it ironic that JFK’s affairs were kept under wraps by the press, and those things are what the press goes after first now.
We live in an interesting world.
Because governors are CEO/administrators, they have more presidency-prep experience than members of Congress. It might have been strategically smart for McCain become AZ governor, when he had the chance.
Bill Richardson has been a seven-term Congressman, UN Ambassador, Energy Secretary, and is now governor of New Mexico, a fast-growing 21st-century-economy state. He knows the Beltway, international affairs, energy–arguably THE most important issue of our generation–and how to administer. To me, he seems to have the highest qualifications, of all the options we will be presented with in the next two years, to become our nation’s chief executive.
As a half-Latino, Richardson can get virtually 100% of the Hispanic vote. He’ll lock up the African-American vote, most of the Asian-American vote, and most of the Caucasian women’s vote–perhaps the vast majority if he choses a woman VP running-mate.
The only question is, can he get the support of the DNC and DLC, and my hunch is he can.
HA! That rocks, JewBoy!
Totally rocks. Good one.
Ian seems like a racist assh*le but once you get to know him, you really start to hate his guts . . .
In the immortal words of another Jew, Groucho Marx, “he looks like an idiot, he sounds like an idiot, but don’t let that fool you, he really is an idiot.”
Ian, why don’t you stay there for an extended vacation? Like til the year 2050?
Jew boy, how creative, I’m impressed!!
Sorry no link. Maybe someone can help?
Colbert had a bit of flashback video. John McCain was asked some time ago what he would do if the Dems took Congress.
“I’d commit suicide.” nervously chuckled McCain.
So this campaign will likely be McCains fulfilment of that sentiment!
Sorry Mary-Damoon, but I like Kansas, it’s got “potential”. I still have a one-way ticket for el-salvador or somalia wating for you. :)
Viva La Raza Blanco!!
Sheesh I’ve always known Kansas was a hole. Now Ian says it has “potential”? That’s the death knell for the state.
Ah I found it.
McCain: “I’d just commit suicide” if Democrats take control of Senateby O. Kay HendersonArizona Senator and probable 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain jokingly says he would “commit suicide” if Democrats take control of the U.S. Senate in this November’s election.McCain is in Iowa today (Wednesday), campaigning with GOP Congressmen Steve King and Tom Latham as well as Republican congressional candidate Jeff Lamberti. McCain spoke at a mid-day news conference in Des Moines, where McCain was asked what his reaction would be to a Democratic take-over of the Senate.”I think I’d just commit suicide,” McCain said, as the Republicans standing beside him burst into laughter. “I don’t want to face that eventuality because I don’t think it’s going to happen…I think it’s going to be tough, but I think we’ll do o.k.” A few moments later McCain turned to Congressman Latham and joked that Latham would probably commit suicide first, as polls suggest control of the House is likely to swing to Democrats in this year’s election.
Maybe Lieberman is talking him down?
Mary, PMom,You haven’t dealt with McCain.He’s a two faced four flusher.Remember the Lincoln S&L 7?
That was forever ago.
Please I am begging you all, please stop voting for republicans.
Peace.
Please I am begging you all, please stop voting for republicans.
Peace.