Here’s my own list of 9 people you should know, but what unifies them is that they just happen to be running for “Leader of the Free World”. An office that has lost just a wee bit of its clout of late.
Giuliani - The entirety of Giuliani’s sentences consist of three things - “a noun, a verb, and 9/11″ - and that one editorial comment by itself justifies the redundant and non-serious candidacy of Joe Biden. He is running on that sole image and it just might actually work.
Romney - Standard moderate Republican who has “seen the light” to align himself with previously unheld socially conservative positions just in time for his GOP nomination. But no surprise, he’s just pragmatically running for President of the United States of America, Inc.
McCain - No one comes close to his status as a legitimate military hero. Independent thinker who got burned the last time by not pandering enough. Gave a try at pandering and suffered even more politically. The Straight-Talk Express is back again and he has a strong base in New Hampshire but it might be too little too late.
Huckabee - Ordained Baptist minister. Known as a “decent” guy. If you think compassionate conservatism is for real then he’s your guy. He is most successful at giving you that good feeling of America as you once knew it without necessarily giving you a clear idea of what America should be going forward.
Thompson - This Law & Order veteran came into the fray at the proverbial behest of the aforementioned “conservative base” of the GOP. But his recent comments about abortion may have doomed him and officially segued Huckabee as his replacement.
Ron Paul - Believes in the Constitution. Literally. Seriously, it’s his Bible. Believes in a balanced budget, non-interventionist foreign policy, thus making him the only GOP anti-Iraq War candidate. Oh yea, he would get rid of the IRS. If that sounds too good to be true, it is. Super dark horse, but less and less laughable/dismissable as time passes.
Clinton - No doubt a smart and able politician. But if there is such a thing as too smart and too able while sacrificing being an actual person, she’s it. Not that others aren’t guilty of this as well, but she, more than anyone to me reeks of someone for whom political office is an end rather than a means.
Edwards - Can hang with the best of them as a policy wonk. But his infamous haircut makes me suspect of his judgment and commitment to his foundational platform concern for the welfare of people who can’t afford $400 haircuts.
Obama - Seems to actually mean it when he says he wants to change the ways of Washington, hence all the accusations of inexperience. If his rep as the “great conciliator” translates into practice he could singlehandedly bring new meaning to the “U” in U.S.A. as well as officially welcome America into the 21st century global community with nuance versus unilateralism.
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Tags: clinton, democratic, edwards, giuliani, huckabee, mccain, obama, president, republican, romney, ron paul, thompson
