Sen. Barack Obama May Run for President in '08

You misread me. I said "3 out of our last 4" presidents had no Washington experience. I intentionally excluded GHW Bush. I realize he had lots of Washington experience and served only one term as prez.

You're right about Reagan, but I did mean that he did not hold office in Washington. I agree, the behind-the-scenes stuff Reagan did was good prep.

Still, I don't agree that a today a person needs such experience to be elected.

So, what do you think about the idea of Obama as someone's running mate (can you tell I like the guy?).

 

In my opinion, the idea of Obama running as someone's mate is the one and only option the Democrats have if they really want to regain their place as the primary political party in the country. Let's face it, no one gives a hoot about John Kerry anymore; Joe Lieberman has no credibility left, Wesley Clark cannot win a primary if his life depended on it and you'd suggest Hilary Clinton if you were on the verge of insanity. We'd have to wait and see what and who Howard Dean spurs next. All of the Democratic candidates, with the exception of Obama, are not very promising and their political aspirations look bleak. Obama is similar to Reagan in that he has charisma and is able to move people; the exact thing you need come election time. He also is adopting a centrist stance on a lot of issues such as gay marriage and tax cuts, which is of course tied to my first point in a way, but i feel his weak point is that he tends to look at the two sides of things and tries to appease both sides, one of John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton's mistakes, and i feel that might cost him.

Obama is a great leader and if by chance, he's drafted as a Presidential candidate in '08, by God i'd vote for him but if i were to predict, i feel he'd end up as a Vice President with either John Edwards or Al Gore. After all, Gore has got the support of the Clintons and Howard Dean which might be good news but we'll have to see.

 

I believe people tend to vote more for the person/ personality than the actual party or agenda of the party. Obama is undeniably a very charismatic person if not the most charismatic one in DC right now with a level headed, common sensed approach to the issues of today. Most important I feel he comes across honest and concerned, he doesn't promise sunshine when he knows it's not his to promise. So I think that will help him a lot. People still look at Hillary as a bitch (stigma of successful women no matter what) and if you compare personalities between these 2 democrats he wins hands down.

There are more black politicians running for office or in office right now than ever in the US. I think progress is being made, albeit slow...

My friend once made a perfect point, in order for the dems to win they need a homegrown Southerner to run (like Bill Clinton). You need to win over what I call potato country (the mid west, farm towns) and and I am just hoping (very naively so I guess) that Obama might be able to catch their emotions and make them vote for him if he should run.

As far as his experience... The most important decision he as a new president would have to make is the choice of his advisors. W's "experience" didn't do smack for him, he is the dumbest one ever out there, he would be completely clueless without his advisors and I am certain that if it wasn't for his advisors he might not have done that much damage. So I am trying to say experience is what the team brings not just the President along. I want Barack Obama with Bill Clinton as his Vice Pres.

Check out the following editorial from today's Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/23/AR2006102301033.html

 

Well, that is certainly a convincing article nonetheless.