Letters to the Editor
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Newsweek who?
It has been decades since I have taken Newsweek, TIME or the other news glossies seriously. Maybe I'll read it in the dentist's office, or pick up a discarded copy on the train, or on a plane; but never invest any of my own money in it. Their news is, in general, neither interesting, timely nor accurate. Their only value is as a symptom.
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Let them go
Since Reagan, the Republican Party hasn't truly used primaries to pick presidential candidates. Instead, the party has worked behind the scenes to get their various groups lined up behind the person its leaders think they can count on to carry their agenda forward, marketed the hell out of that person until the electorate bought in, and kneecapped any pol who wouldn't go along (McCain, anyone?). The Republicans don't pick a candidate, they roll out a product, and shoppers who like the product, which has been carefully designed for maximum appeal, buy it.
What do the Democrats do? They air the Party's dirty laundry in public. They allow multiple candidates to clog the field, depleting their resources in fighting each other instead of building war chests for the final challenge. They make the public face of the Democratic Party one of squabbling, wacky disunity, as contrasted with the calm, on-message Republican Party.
What's important is the message, not the candidate. It's past time the Democrats abandoned quaint notions.
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GORE
Tigercrane You are right. Why do so many democrat's run and beat up on each other? I wish Gore would announce now so we could all get behind him and put him in the White House. Gore is the most qualified of all to be president amd he did win the popular vote by half a million in 2000 .
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What if we don't like Gore?
What if we think of him as a self-serving false environmentalist who did nothing when he and Clinton were in power to truly dramatically affect environmental policy?
Sure he's light-years better than Bush, but then again, Regan did more for the environment than George W. Bush. With a stick that short to be measured by are we not all giants?
Regardless, Gore doesn't want the job. If he wanted the job he would have run in 2004 you know when it might have made a real difference in peoples lives, to run in 2008 just makes the world ask where were you when we needed you?
It is best to have a wide field whittled down to the best or at least the least worst candidate. The Republicans will be doing the same. By Iowa we'll have a small pool of real candidates and a few also rans, by New Hampshire we'll know if there is momentum for one or if there are divisions in the party. By the time we get to Super Tuesday we'll have a true front runner, and most of the second placers will step down to get behind the victor.
Gore could be the nomination again, just as Ms. Clinton, Mr. Obama, or Mr. Clark could receive it. Most will probably be better than Bush, but he's not running, so we'll have to see who among the Republicans will run.
The Republican field has been devastated which is why McCain is still considered the front runner, in a race with...virtually no one who has marked true interest in the office. Gulliani has been mentioned, but like Gore his actual effort put forth for this role is abysmally lacking, and indicative of a person not truly interested in seeking this office.
People come back to Obama, Clinton, and McCain for a very simple reason, all three have made the most overt actions (short of announcing a candidacy) to pursue this office, and have peaked the most interest from the populace. It speaks volumes of how empty the field really is that a few who have announced their candidacy are polling so short against people who have not as yet.
That there is not interest in many of these declared candidates shows that the people want someone else. So far the only interests that seem to align are Obama, Clinton, & McCain's desire to be president, and our own desire to see them run.
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Viable candidates have to win.
"He served his purpose in changing the rhetoric in the mid-term elections and helped elect Democrats (and his "mentor" Joe Lieberman!), but he's beginning to be an annoyance, making viable candidates disappear into the background and eventual oblivion. This is no game, after all."
Umm... the viable candidates are the ones who captivate the people. Barack- at least right now- is doing exactly what he should be doing as a good candidate. Although I will concede that I'm not quite behind him yet as I loathe Lieberman.
"And antics (clearly dreamed up by his handlers) like his "announcement" during that Bears game aren't appreciated by many of us--in addition to being in poor taste."
Actually, more power to him for that antic and parodying the ridiculous hype machine that has been built up so soon after we just had an election. Always nice to see a politician with a sense of humor.
"Oh, and forget the Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket, folks. Remember, both are Illinoians--Hillary by birth and Barack by choice. Both are from blue states. Both are urbanites. There is no balance except for the gender/race thing."
Considering Clinton these days is generally associated with New York, I would say balance isn't an issue. For one it is overrated (see: Kerry/Edwards '04 or Clinton/Gore '92 to see how irrelevant it is to the successes and failures of both campaigns.) Even if was, though, I think the gender/race issue is a very compelling issue that will override it
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I would vote for Gore in the primaries
He really is just about the most qualified candidate out there, and I would love to see him being sworn in with Bush standing behind him with that odd grimace on his face.
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Another vote for Wesley Clark
Believed it then, still believe it now. This man should be president. Intelligence, experience and integrity. Works for me.
But please, Democrats... if you can POSSIBLY manage it (which I doubt), don't waste valuable time and resources AGAIN with another 10-candidate field. I want to see a more efficient, cohesive, COHERENT campaign this time. Not the ridiculous mess we had in 2004. Millions of hours, and more millions of dollars, were wasted. Try to learn from your mistakes for a change.
Dr. Dean, I expect you to deal with this. And I have all the confidence in the world that you can.