But, that all said, I’ll take any of them including Obama and Clinton over any of the Shrub wanna-bes.

Not without some sort of major shaking event(s).

There are SUCH forces against Senator Clinton. I don’t take her as a shoo in. She is the most scrutinized and persecuted (rightly and wrongly) candidate in history. That’s an awful lot of pressure operating for a very long time. Obama and Edwards are not being easy with her either. Sooner or later, she is gonna hit back.

Democrats don’t like it when their own infight. So the top three could well stink themselves out of any clear leadership.

Biden, they don’t let him talk much. He’s the dark horse I think.A real coup he had with the leaders of Pakistan the other day too.

I see 4 front runners leveling (in every sense of that word) each other out. There is an outside possibility of a convention next year that will actually MEAN something. That would be a first in my lifetime. Then ALL bets are off.

It’s not enought to get independence from *MidEast* oil, we have to get the oil monkey off our backs.

The only candidate who’s aproached that issue is John Edwards, who recoginizes a interim reliance on alternative technologies… even to the extent of telling Iowa corn farmers that the ethanol boom cannot be expected to last.

No other candidate — Democratic or Republican — has the courage to tell Iowans that they aren’t going to become the 21st Century Oil Shieks. Corn-based ethanol is not in any way the solution to America’s energy needs. And only one candidate for President this year has had the spine to tell Iowans something they probably don’t want to hear. That candidate is John Edwards. Give him some credit for that.

There might be enough institutional strength of Democratic Party politics to assure Senator Clinton the nomination. But there are plenty of us Democrats who are inspired by Senator Obama’s vision for the future of America. And while Barak Obama has a clear vision of what America might be, former Senator John Edwards seems to have a grip on what America *can* be.

The more people know about John Edwards, the more people are for John Edwards. It just happens. Because he’s the best candidate in the race, regardless of party.

Do a little homework. Look at the issues facing the next President of the United States (especially considering the fiasco that person will be faced with after 8 years of George WMD Bush’s Reign of Error).

We’re not gonna make any progress with any of the Republic Party candidates who all seem bent on out-Shrubbing Shrub.

The only candidate who’s connected with reality is John Edwards.

(Of course, reality doesn’t always enter into presidential politics.)

I’m waiting for any of the presidential candidates to tell me if and when they will start our country on our independence off the Middle East oil. That is the person I will vote for.

The best defense we can have is to be self-sufficient and we are currently in debt (thanks to Bush and Company) and we are still over the oil barrels of the Middle East.

Unless we buckle down and find alternative fuel source or just learn to say no to the Middle East crowd, then the US will be continuing down the road to being just another country and not the super power we used to be when I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s.

With friends like you, who needs enemas?

It really hits a nerve with me when some guy at a newspaper decides who the winner is before a single vote is cast. ‘Journalists’ cover the news. That does not involve presenting it so that what they think is the most likely gets the attention.

The Taliban and AlQuada were squirming under Clinton, only to be ignored by Bush (Clinton dropped the ball as well, but keep in mind that every Republican Congressman was screaming “wag the dog… wag the dog” claiming his pressure on them was just a ploy to keep the attention off of Monica Lewinski).

If I knew Hillary would be a repeat of Bill, I’d love her to be President. One thing about Bill Cliton, he did rule by the polls. He may have been extremely liberal at the core, but the general public isn’t, and he tempered himself to the wants of the people. If elected today, people are leaning more socialist in thinking. People are more wide open to some pretty un-American things right now! And for good reason, we are in the pinch, with energy prices, the medical insurance-care situation killing us financially!

I CANNOT support changing how the rich and ultra rich are taxed. Class warefare is being used against us. I’m not so sure I’m even middle class anymore, but I do know how I would think if I were mega rich. If I were going to be set back one step for every 3 or 4 I take through taxation, I just simply, flately would not risk my capitol. Why would I need to? I’d already be fiflthy rich!

Folks, we are already approaching a 1929 level great depression in the United States. Exactly whose to blame could be debated endlessly, but it’s on the way! 9 trillion in debt, and an economy that is based 70% on people spending (consumer driven). With the great credit crunch, people burried in debt, the ability to spend is going away. In the end, it will make this country better, get it back on course, but their are some hard times ahead.

******

Don’t you just love how the two most insignificant states in the Union get to play king-maker.

If California had an early primary, we’d be talking about President Dean right now.

Indeed. He’s McCain with hair but without the heroism.

“Seems like he might actually be as stupid as Bush!”

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! The uber-Lefty CF2K couldn’t have put it better himself.

Of course, it’s a bit of a mystery to CF2K why, if Rudy comes across as phony, Romney wouldn’t count as twice as phony. Eye of the beholder, I guess.

In answer to outlander’s unending, plaintive question, I cite an excellent observation from the WaPo’s Eugene Robinson. I don’t think outlander is going to want to hear it, but it seems to me to be on the mark.

**********************************

“But there’s another side to the rhymes-with-rich episode. What would possess that nice-looking Republican lady in South Carolina to phrase her question in such a vulgar way?

Basically, because Hillary Clinton drives the Republican base absolutely bonkers. In part, this has to do with history; she summons what are, to some, traumatic memories of the Clinton years. Her candidacy also brings with it the whiff of a Clinton Restoration, since Bill would return to the White House as consort. But I’m not sure the historical factor alone is enough to provoke such potty-mouthed passion.

I think some of the Hillary-hatred arises simply because she’s a woman — and because that vulgar word, the one that rhymes with rich, is always available to describe a woman who gets a little too powerful, or acts like too much of a smarty-pants, or exudes a bit too much authority. That word isn’t just a put-down, it’s also a pointed question: Just who the hell does she think she is?

The answer, at the moment, is that she’s leading the Democratic field. Her candidacy, like Barack Obama’s in a different context, is forcing the nation to confront old assumptions and prejudices — forcing us to decide just who the hell we think we are.

No, definitely not a campaign you could describe as normal.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/15/AR2007111502030.html

My main concern is his that he appears to have a little chameleon in him. But he is accomplished, articulate, a great family man, and he was an effective Republican governor in the bluest of states. The fact that he can self- finance his campaign isn’t a negative either.

Something about Rudy scares me. I think he took a bow for 9/11 that he didn’t deserve. He seems like he might actually be as stupid as Bush!

As much as the Republicans have turned me off for the past 8 years, I do not think liberalism is the answer. Bill Clinton really didn’t prove to be so liberal, minus the occasional blow job. Some say he was the most Republican President we’ve had since Regan! Can Hillary be like that? I don’t know, I just can’t automatically endorse her because of how great her husband was as President.

So that says to me that the people of America are really ready to get rid of neocon beliefs. They want to thumb their nose at you who hate her so.

Actually that sounds like Hillary (who I don’t hate, unless she raises her voice). If she wins, I don’t expect to see many changes (other than election of a Republican Congress). None in my life in general. I control that, not the government. I saw little difference from Clinton to Bush except on ancillary issues.

You are right about the dynasty thing JR. Was Bush II better than Bush I? Do you expect a Clinton II to be better for you than Clinton I?

For me? That’s a good start wanting her to win. Even if I don’t like the whole dynasty thing.

I mean you forced george bush on us. And you LIKED doing it.

Romney. I can’t figure out if he is made of plastic or money. Maybe plastic money?

Obama? TOO nice. I suspect Barak is Republican lite. We don’t need any more of that.

You tell me, is Hillary winning because she is popular, or popular because she is winning?