This Time Next Year

A year from today will be the 2008 Presidential elections. Thank God.

It's a given that regardless who the Democratic nominee is for President I am going to vote for him or her. There is no one in the Republican slate that even comes close to being palatable - there may be some I like, as people, more than others - but none of them are even in the vicinity of my political spectrum.

So really, for me the election where I have to make a choice will be the Democratic primary in Florida.

Back on January 27, 2007, I listed the then nominees and potential nominees. Most of them are still in the race, though realistically, not all are viable.

Although I like Biden and Todd and think they are extremely qualified, I don't think they have enough traction to go all the way. The same holds true for my original favorite Richardson, I still think he is "on paper" the most qualified of the lot as far as experience goes, but he just doesn't have the personality.

I love Kucinich, and strongly believe we need candidates like him in the party. What is radical and too far out there now, may very well be the issues of tomorrow - remember Ralph Nader and his environmental craziness back in the day? Now it's a major issue. As for Gravel - although I'm sure he's a lovely man I think the Alaska winters froze the common sense part of his brain rendering him crazy and frankly, a non-issue.

That leaves us with what having to choose among the, IMO, viable candidates: Hillary, Obama and Edwards. What a wonderful *problem* to have!

So here's the thing, I like Barack Obama a lot. I think he's super smart, personable, handsome, decent, radiating hope and possibility - but I don't think he's ready. I don't think he has the experience in politics in general and in Washington specifically. I'm not one of those who believes being an outsider is necessarily a good thing for a President.

And then there's Hillary. I have no doubt in my mind that she would make a phenomenal President. I think she's brilliant, has the necessary gravitas and has a mature, pragmatic approach to the issues at hand. The problem is that she's too polarizing. I think the Republicans don't have a definitive contender, and the conservatives don't have any viable candidates in the mix. I really think the conservative contingent of Republican voters will stay home before voting for Giuliani or the like - unless Hillary is the Democratic candidate, in which they will come out in hordes to vote against her!

Having said all that that I think the criticisms and attacks on Hillary have been, for the most part, unfair and unfounded. I think she knows better than to make wild pie-in-the-sky promises of radical change. She knows radical change is not only impossible, but in many cases irresponsible. I respect her for not pandering to the liberal Democrat base and saying what we want to hear even though she knows it can't be done.

That leaves Edwards, who until the last few days I was thinking would be the person I'd vote for in the primaries. But now he's started in on the Hillary bashing, and I think that's beneath him and unnecessary - he's pissed me off a bit. There's also the issue of his wife Elizabeth - God bless her. I'm concerned she's going to hit the crisis point in her illness just as the election comes around - then what's Edwards supposed to do? Continue campaigning and leave his young kids while his wife is dying? He'd have to drop out of the election just as it's crunch time. Hopefully this won't be the case and she'll be OK for a long time to come - but, not to be heartless, can we afford that risk?

So that's my conundrum for the primary...I want Hillary the President, but I'm afraid of Hillary the candidate. I like Obama, but don't think he's ready. I like Edwards but worry about his heart-breaking family circumstances.

The mind wobbles...if only Al Gore would run!