Early look at Candidates

It's that time again.

A year and half before we actually go out and vote, the presidential candidates are well on their way to ensuring that fatigue will overwhelm whoever wins the presidential race. Our country will be able to sleep at night knowing a tired, stressed out, overworked, and overburdened man or woman will be making incredibly important decisions in January 2009.

Oh well. I may as well participate.

So here, for your viewing pleasure, is my early take on who are the best candidates put up so far by each major party.

Democrats:

Barack Obama:

Pros: Exciting as any candidate we've seen since JFK (at least, from listening to his speeches. I wasn't around then, so I can't really know). His rhetoric just blows everyone else out of the water, and the Democrats seem to for once have a fielded a candidate who takes traditional social morality seriously.

Cons: Experience. Definitely a newcomer on the national scene, and has only been a senator. The country may be nervous at this point to give the job to somebody who may be seen as inexperienced. However, the country is deathly tired of lies and shallow idealism. Abe Lincoln had almost the exact same amount of experience as Obama though, and he did alright. He also was a tremendous orator. We'll just have to see.

Hillary Clinton:

Pros: Crafty and clever. I don't mean this in a political sense like her husband. I don't think she's as good as her husband at wriggling out of the jaws of death in a media spectacle. However, by all accounts she has been very effective in the Senate at working with both sides and getting legislation passed. She seems to understand how power works, she grasps nuance, and generally is willing to compromise. I would really like somebody with these skills as our next president. Plus she's got more balls than all the rest of the senate combined.

Cons: Well, half the country thinks of her as the devil. That could be an obstacle. If she can overcome that political challenge, or at least win another 5% over to her side, she'll win.


Republicans:

John McCain:

Pros: Depsite the fact that he trails Giuliani in the polls, he has a lot more substance. He's been in politics for a long time, and he also strikes me as similar to Hillary: well versed in power and nuance. He's also a little more principled, I think, when he takes a stand for something. He's definitely proved that by sticking to the troop surge. A lesser politician would never, ever have done that.

Cons: As much as I admire his principles, well, we've all seen the danger when somebody is completely unwilling to compromise. I think McCain is light years away from His Excellency, but well, I just think McCain is plain wrong on the whole Iraq thing and that's hugely important for the next 5-10 years.

Honestly, there isnt really anyone else inspiring on the republican side, except the guy who hasn't officially announced:

Fred Thompson:

Pros: I like actors running for president. Not because they're smarter and better, but because i can think of no better training for navigating the halls of power and convincing others to get on board. Being a politician is really made of of two primary jobs: recognizing realities beyond your direct control, and creating reality in areas within your control. In politics convincing others to work with you creates new boundaries and structures that define daily life for billions of people, especially for an American president. Actors seems particularly able to do that

Cons: He's old, not running yet, and perhaps a little conservative. Not much else will be known about him until and if he enters the race.


People I really dont want president:
Giuliani, Edwards, and several of the other republicans. In my opinion, however, only Giuliani and the four above have any realistic shot of making it

My pics:
As of May:

Who will win: Obama

Who I want to win: very slight edge to Hillary

- James