Since Vice-President Dick Cheney has apparently said he has no interest in running for President in 2008(well I'll see it when it happens)....and because the Democrats were defeated for the White House this past week, which candidates for both parties might run 4 years from now(or technically 2 years from now, but that is complicated primary lingo for another time)?

For the Republicans I see such possible names as an Arizona Senator that I voted for in the primaries in 2000 and wished HAD been the GOP nominee in 2000(and in comparison to Gore, probably for President as well)....John McCain. Other names for the Grand Old Party include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Rudy Guilliani, New York Governor George Pataki, Ahhnuld(hey, anyone here ACTUALLY thought about 5 years ago that he was going to be Governor of the world's 5th largest economy? I think not. Anything is possible!), Jeb Bush(despite him saying he has no interest in the job), etc.

For the Democrats, who?

Two easy answers would be of course the defeated Vice-Presdential candidate John Edwards of North Carolina and current New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Other possible names include people like New Mexio Governor Bill Richardson.

Anyway, write up your opinions on this manner or move to Canada in protest, whatever fancies your taste more.

Barack Obama already looks like he's ready for the job, but is beginning his first senate term this year and probably won't have the experience to be nominated from the democratic party. I say screw experience because this man is the real deal. He's a senator from Illinois, though, which doesn't really help him with electoral votes since it will go blue not matter what anyway. In that case, the Democrats need to find a southern Democrat to represent them that could possibly steal some southern swing states.

As for republicans, I agree with McCain and Guiliani as great candidates, but let's just stop with this Arnold business. The Constitution states you must be born in the U.S. to be President of the U.S. and I don't see that changing no matter how much you all want it to. If McCain was the Republican nominee and the Democrats fail to produce a solid candidate again (I wasn't huge on Kerry), then I will vote for McCain probably even though I am a pretty liberal guy.

I can see John McCain running for the Republicans. Also Rudy Guiliani. Arnold can't run unless he succeeds in getting the Constitution changed. I hope he doesn't.

And I also see (and dread) Hilary Clinton running for the Democrats.

If Hillary gets it, I will move to Canada.

Also I think Obama will run at some point. Definately not the next election, and probably not the one after that.. but at some point.

Some kid in my government class was talking about a McCain/Clinton ticket.. (rep./dem.)... can that happen? I dunno..

Well a Kerry/McCain ticket was more likely, and that didn't work out, so a McCain/Clinton ticket is a no go.

Ya I know about the whole Ahhhnuld and Constitution deal. I was just saying "Never Assume Anything"(which I repeatedly break anyway), but I agree totally that the Constitution won't get changed in the next 4 years.

Two reasons why I dug McCain was that unlike the President, he actually "served" in Vietnam and was a POW at a legendarily-horrible Vietnameese prison camp for FIVE YEARS. If a guy can beat a rap that include bamboo, leaches, total enforced silence(with only hand-tapping morse code keeping the prisoners in contact with each other from their isolated cells), he can be President.

Another reason also is that while on some issues he is a neo-conservative like many of the GOP power players are, hes moderate on many issues and actually "bi-partisan". I mean you all remember a few years ago when things were accomplished in fair non-emotionally charged bi-partisanship in Congress?

I agree that Obama has a bright future in front of him unless he f*cks up in a serious way. I see him running for President or at least be a Vice-Presidential candidate in 2012.

Sure it can happen. Kerry had considered McCain for this past election, but McCain did not want to because he supports Bush and probably also wants to run in 2008. There is no rule about Democrats and Republicans running together. Lincoln was a Republican and Andrew Johnson was a Democrat when Lincoln won reelection in 1864.

That is not entirely true. It might have been for some time but he talks about his friends in the cells and how they talked.

Agreed.

Oooohhh. Thanks.

I'm going with ya. America Don't need anymore Clinton's in the WhiteHouse.

Well Mig, should that happen you guys can just have all the Democrats who move to Canada now, save you their spot. They move back to US and you guys to Canada. Hmmm. Maybe that's a thought hu? That way there will be no division in our country. At any given time everyone will agree with everyone else. :p

TIS

--Jeb Bush will NOT run in 2008.
--The Democratic nomination will be either Edwards or Clinton. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kerry go for it again, either.
--The Republican nomination will be either McCain or Giullani. I DO see them changing the Constitution enabling Arnold to run. I would love to see Pataki get the nomination. There's no way in hell he'd win. :p

Does anyone have any sites or info. on McCain's political stances? -Pat

I heard of the possibility of Jeb Bush, but don't know if he's seriously considering it or not. Gulliani and McCain are good possibilities IMH on the Right.

I'm not entirely sure Hillary will run, although all the commentators think so. I really think she realizes that the US is not ready to accept a woman President. Plus you either like her or hate her. It'd be interesting that's for sure.

As far as the Left goes, I read today that Kerry wouldn't run again; Edwards possibly. You never know who is gonna pop up within the next few years. Obama showed great potential at the convention, but I don't think he's seasoned enough yet. He may have a good shot at it in the future tho.

TIS

Someone explain to me why can't Arnold Run for president? If Edwards had to give up his seat why didn't Kerry have to do the same?

Republicans will be Giuliani, McCain, Frist. Jeb Bush and Dick Cheney will not run.

Democrats have Edwards and Hillary.

There is no way in hell the Democrats will win in 2008, and it is very likely that Republican candidate will be a two-termer. So, it looks like at least a 4-term period of Republican Presidents. I think it will be Giuliani, McCain probably as VP.

You have to have been born in the U.S. to be President, Mig.

I wish Tom McClintock would run for President, more than Arnold. I voted McClintock for Governor over Arnold anyway.

Hate.

Alright. I'll pick you up in New Cumberland in 4 years. Be ready.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R)

I think I could possibly live with Rudy. He's very liberal on some issues. I believe he's only conservative on the economy.

^ Rudy gets thrown around in the media a lot as a "liberal" on a lot of issues.

Giuliani is very Conservative on foreign policy, economy, military. He' moderate, not liberal, in some social issues: gay marriage and abortion, that's it. He not on the liberal side of those two issues, he's just more in the center. But, unless you want to get some different rights for a gay marriage (which he's not just 100% marriage rights for like Democrats) or want to get an abortion, Rudy's as conservative as Bush.

I quoted EXACTLY what was said to him by Sean Hannity on Hannity and Colmes on Wednesday.

How about Homer Simpson

Patrick, then Sean Hanity's wrong. He's a smart fellow though.

Look up records and stats and all that if you want their real positions.

Why would I look up something that doesn't exist?

I don't think Barack Obama will be in 2008, probably 2012. First of all, he is black. That's not racist, it's a fact - something that has yet to be overcome.

Hillary also has to overcome being a woman, which might possibly be harder than being an african-american.

Pataki sucks...I will not vote for him, and I'd be surprised if he'd get past the GOP primaries.

Does that mean you'll vote Democrat? :p

Since neither he nor Hillary have done ANYTHING for NYS (sans NYC), I wouldn't vote for either of them.

Patrick, I'm saying Giuliani is very conservative besides those social issues... why are you disagreeing with that?

OK I'll have my bags packed

Interesting, I was wondering whether Jeb Bush would be running or not. I wanna see Kerry again! This time winning!

As Double-J said I think that it will be too hard for USA to choose a female or black person already. The USA is still a very conservative state when it comes to those things.

http://www.issues2000.org/John_McCain.htm

McCain isn't as moderate as he's brought out to be.

Same applies to Joe Lieberman who in addition to running w/ Gore in 2000 was on the ballot in CT for re-election to the Senate.

Robert Dole is the only person in recent memory (mine, anyway...) to resign his U.S. Senate seat in order to run for the Presidency in 1996.

Apple