Presidential race 2008

I'm not liking how the democratic candidate(s) are shaping up. Right now Hillary Clinton is the 800-lbs gorilla, and it doesn't yet look like there are any real challengers to her nomination. But we're still 18 months away from the big start of the nomination drive, so things can change.

I think Hillary would be a mistake for the party.

1. She doesn't have the same personal magnetism Bill had. He could repeat handler-speak and make it sound like he honestly meant it and understood the whole issue. Hillary sounds like she's repeating handler-speak. Bill sounded like a guy who honestly felt strongly about the policy he was talking about. Hillary has a hard time shaking, 'cause of the day,' out of her tone.
   
2. Clinton-fatigue hasn't gone away. Reportedly, the specter of a 2008 run by Hillary has been doing great things for Republican fund-raising. This rallies their base, which we do NOT need. Folk may be distancing themselves from Bush, but that does McCain more good than the Democrats.
3. Hillary is a seated Senator, a place that exceedingly few Presidents have come from. She would have done a lot better had she sought a Governorship somewhere rather than a Senate seat.

Note, 'she's a gurl,' is not on the list. Of course, a lot of this depends on the outcome of the mid-term elections later this year. If the Republicans are deposed in one of the chambers, that will have a decided effect on the field of people seeking the Democratic nod. If they maintain their hold, that'll reduce the numbers seeking the nod; to our detriment.

I do not think that Hillary Clinton has enough popular appeal to make it all the way to the whitehouse. Don't get me wrong, I think the idea of a second Clinton presidency is a wonderful idea (and horribly confusing to Civics students in 100 years... Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton). I'll cheer loudly if she pulls it off. But I put the chances of holding that celebration mighty low.