Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Thank you, Democrats

Oh, I love a good fight.  Well, not really.  What I do love, though, is the intense battle that has re-heated tonight between Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

While John McCain will officially kick off his general election campaign tomorrow with a stop at the White House--where he will receive Pres. Bush's official endorsement-- Clinton and Obama are gearing up for round ten.

Of course, if I had to choose a victor tonight I would pick Obama.  In a conversation with my mother today, I decided that "hope" is not a policy position.

Hope will not defeat terrorists, stimulate the economy nor will it even appoint judges, justices and cabinet secretaries.  Therefore, running against "hope" is easy... if you're John McCain, a man who is capable of taking clear policy positions.

Furthermore, Obama carries a stigma that is nearly negative if you aren't in love with him.  After this primary season, it is clear that middle-of-the-road swing voters will decide our next president.  Barack Obama's stigmatizing stances on many issues (well, as many as he's actually articulated a position on) will clearly isolate a large sector of that important vote.

But who can complain.  The longer these two kick and scratch at one another, the longer John McCain can catch his breath.  

That being said, thank you.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

I'm Back... At Last

Well kids, after secluding into a period of mourning I have decided to make my re-entrance into the blogging world.

I'm not really sure what I want to talk about first.  Let's start with Mitt Romney (RIP).

The reason Romney decided to make his graceful exit is because he is a sensible guy, a candidate too good to be true and because Iowa Republicans are apparently stupid.

What angers me most about Mitt's candidacy is that it finally captured the group of people it was targeted at a minute too late.  The right-wing sect of the Republican Party started this presidential campaign with luke-warm interest in the former Massachusetts governor.  However, as the candidates dwindled, the likes of El Rushbo and Laura Ingram flocked to support Mitt.  But Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was Romney's new found conservative movement.  In the end, things happened too late and Romney was reasonable enough to realize it was time to call it quits.

Now, allow me to turn my sights on Mike Huckabee.

Dear Mike Huckabee, nobody cares.  The longer ole' Mike stays in the race the more Ron Paul appears to be normal.  While Huckabee has become nothing more than a Republican side show to John McCain, it is almost to the point of embarrassing.  What's sad about the state of his candidacy is the fact that it was he who triggered Mitt's early demise with an unexpected win in Iowa.  Oh well, let the man continue to waste his time and occasionally garner some media attention for the GOP primary.  At least I'll still have a choice when I vote in the North Carolina primary on May 6th.

And, finally, onto the Barack/ Hillary fiasco.

It almost makes me sad that Hillary Clinton is losing.  I mean, who would have thought that enough people would have found "hope" to be substantive enough of a platform to run a successful presidential campaign on?

In an "anyone on the Republican ticket" v. Hillary match up the victor would have been clear.  However, with a McCain v. Obama head to head in November, McCain is going to have to painstakingly point out to America why Obama is completely incompetent (as he's already begun doing).

Although I'm sure I missed A LOT in my attempt to sum up the past few weeks in presidential politics, it's after midnight and I keep thinking about my homework that won't get done.  Be sure, though, that I will post again tomorrow (and the next day, and probably even the day after that).