Rendell Won't Run

The Doylestown Intelligencer notes that when Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) was asked whether he's interested in running for president in 2008, Rendell said, "Not really. The timing is wrong for me."Rendell "believes Hillary Clinton would be tough to beat in a Democratic primary, but isn't certain she'll run because of her good standing in New York and all of the history that would be dredged up."

I don't see Rendell as a viable candidate anyway. He is beloved in Philadelphia and the eastern half of Pennsylvania. Beyond that, most folks think very little of him. He ain't running and good riddance. We don't need any slick politicians in 2008, thats for sure.

Is Pataki Eyeing 2008?

Read on what is being reporting this past week about New York Governor George Pataki:

Governor George Pataki insists he’s not thinking about the 2008 presidential race, but his denials seemed a little hard to believe with the sudden reappearance by his side this week of Zenia Mucha, the tough-talking political operative who left Albany in 2001 to become the top flack for Disney’s Michael Eisner. As a longtime aide to Senator Al D’Amato known for colorful rows with the press, Mucha was dispatched to shore up Pataki’s faltering 1994 campaign against Mario Cuomo and was widely credited with engineering his surprise victory.

Her ability to keep Pataki—and everyone else—on message is thought to have helped spur his rise from unknown Peekskill state senator to governor and onto George W. Bush’s short list for vice-president in 2000. (Dick Cheney, head of the selection committee, selected himself instead.) When Eisner lured Mucha to the Mouse with an extravagant salary, many of her associates nevertheless were certain she’d return to politics; her reemergence is viewed as a sign the governor is getting serious about 2008.

Tight-lipped as ever, Mucha insists she’s merely taking a week off from her day job to “help out.” But friends say she’s planning a return to New York as head of Pataki’s national campaign.

It is very difficult for Patakli to win re-election as Governor in NY. He would be running for a third term with sinking poll numbers. Any candidate wouldbe hard pressed to return to the Governor's manions after 12 long years. If Pataki runs for Governor again and loses, his Presidential aspirations will be damaged, but if he steps aside and bows out in 2006, he leaves as a retired, not defeated incumbent.

He is a moderate and a northerner which may hurt his chances in 2008, but make no mistake this guy wants to run and likely sees 2008 as his best chance. He is in.....I dont think he had a chance, but nevertheless he is gooing to run.

Ford For Senate 2006...And Beyond?

The moderate Democrat plans to quickly jump in when Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) officially announces his resignation, he told FOX News. Republicans often insist that no Democrat can win statewide office in the South, but Harold Ford's supporters say that it won't deter the congressman. “If you have the ability to deliver a message crisply and effectively and you can relate to voters, you can transcend a whole lot of racial and political boundaries,” said Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.).

Unlike many ultra liberal members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Ford Jr. has “positioned himself as a centrist,” Rep. Davis, a moderate-liberal Democrat, added. “I think it will enable him to break out of the pack that black Democrats are pushed to in the South.”Other observers wonder whether Rep. Ford, Jr. should expect some resistance from his left flank. Ron Walters, director of the African-American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland, said he and other black liberal Democrats are concerned with some of Rep. Ford’s policy positions.

Ford has been carving out a profile as a Blue Dog Democrat and hoping that would be sufficient, to allow him to be competitive. Because of that, some have considered him to be too conservative, but in fact it postions him well for the future. Ford, Jr. has voted with conservatives on issues such as banning partial-birth abortion, and voting for school prayer, the war in Iraq, and cuts in the capital gains tax. However, he supports affirmative action, banning oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, and opposed President Bush’s tax cuts.

Ford has positioned himself well in the center muchin the style of former President Clinton. I do not believe there is any question he could win the Senate seat in Tennessee, and I further believe he could be a legitimate Presidential candidate in the future. At 34 he is too young an inexperienced to run in 2008 or even 2012, though he could be a good VP candidate in 2012.

In any event, I have been impressed with Congressman Ford, so his future bears watching.

Condi Rice Won't Run

Condi Rice told Tim Russert she does not intend to run for President, doesn't want to run for President, and does not plan to ever be the President. She outright said, twice, that she WOULD NOT run.I don't think there's any wiggle room left. And here I just got my bumper stickers in the mail...NOT!

Really, I am not a big fan of Ms. Rice. I think she is a brilliant woman, but a candidate for President, I don't think so. Everyone seems to have this belief that anyone with a high profile and political clotu is qualified to be President. Wrong....we don't need resumes for President, we need individuals with intelligence, vision and a moral compass. Ms. Rice is a bookworm whose risen to her level of incompetency.....she is not Presidential material.

Online Coalition:Protect Freedom Of Speech

Be sure to sign this letter to the FEC. Doesn't matter where you stand politically; the right to speak, or write your opinion has to be upheld. There is safety in numbers so pile on and add your name to this bi-partisan coalition. Thanks!

The Effect Of Federal Fiscal Policy On 2008

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told the House Budget Committee last Wednesday what every adult who runs a fiscally sound household already knows: "You cannot continuously introduce legislation which tends to expand the budget deficit" without running into serious trouble.

The term that he used was that President Bush's current policy would be "unsustainable." The term we as private citizens would use for this eventuality would be personal bankruptcy - and that, unfortunately, is exactly where the Bush administration, in contrast to good conservative fiscal policy, is pushing our country.

I firmly believe that the budget deficit and its effect on the hearts and minds of voters is coming to roost in the 2008 campaign. I think that voters are starting to take a harder look at the fiscal policies not only of this administration but of Congress as a whole, and are becoming more uneasy with the idea of deficit spending and its long term effect on the economy.

Each of us has to make personal decisions to balance our own checkbook each month. We can only hope that Congress has the sense and backbone to begin to balance the American checkbook and not allow the administration or Congress to continue to push our country, our children and grandchildren toward financial disaster.

In 2008, I can see candidates that whom have practiced and continue to preach sound fiscal policy and securing necessary programs such as Social Security have mass appeal to voters. The question will be, who will rise to the top? Any thoughts?

A Republican View On 2008

As a moderate conservative Republican, I have been outspoken in my criticism of the President and the party on numerous occassions. I see the party extremists over reaching on what it sees as an electoral mandate. I find myself becoming even greater at odds with the direction that is being taken, as I believe it to be in contrast to the ideals of the Republican party and Conservative movement.

As I look forward to the 2008 Presidential campaign, I see but a handful of potential GOP candidates that would truly uphold those ideals. Arizona Senator John McCain, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel and perhaps South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Truly, the GOP field seems slim.

This is where I believe the Democratic Party has an advantage. I will ignore the obvious potential candidacy of Hillary Clinton for the moment and focus on more truly centrist Democrats, folks even I could cast a vote for. Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, Virginia Governor Mark Warner, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley, Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, and Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold. These are all individuals with successful political careers, all of whom would, I think, attract independent and moderate voters from both parties.

I see the GOP needing to have some potential candidate really step out into the positive spotlight over the enxt two years for the GOP to win the White House for a third consecutive term. As of today, I dont see who that might be. I believe the 2008 Presidential election will be seen as one of the most competitive and memorable in history. In part due to the fact that no incumbent President or Vice President will be running and also to the strong possibility of large crossovers voters from either party truly tipping the scales. Again, still a long way to go, but the advantage goes to the Democrats. It will be awfulyl hard for the GOP to maintain the White House after eight years of what could be considered a controversial administration.

We shall see.....

Governor Richardson Pushing For Early Western Primary

Gov. Bill Richardson is planning an aggressive push to persuade Western mountain states to have a presidential primary on a single day early in the nominating process in 2008. Some might say it is an attempt to boost his chances for nomination in 2008, but I believe it is an honest effort to balance out the nomination process so that the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary don't all but decide the nomination up front. Fact is the nominating process did not work for the Democratic party last time as all but one candidate was essentially left standing after the two early contests.

Original Source:

The Albuquerque Tribune: News.

Kudos also to Forty Four

Candidate Sites

I will be working within the next week or so to gather up links to relevant candidate support sites. That is, sites hosted by supporters of would be candidates. I will try and keep them to the serious minded ones and truly potential candidates. They are great resources for learning about the potential nominees. In fact, I have never been as excited abotu a Presidential election as I am about 2008.