Our Unappealing '08 Candidates

There's been a lot of stories in the news lately about the two supposed frontrunners for the 2008 presidential race: John McCain and Hillary Clinton. Neither candidate inspires me in any way and reinforces my belief that the next election will be a disaster. After everything that has happened in the last six years, we need a major change. Neither of these two represents that. They are both running on ego and would only be reluctantly supported by their respective bases. I can only hope that there's a shift in the next year or so and these two names don't end up on the '08 ballot. This election lineup seems appealing only to Beltway insiders and fans of predictability.

First up, John McCain- the 'maverick' the media loves to love- continues to suck up to his his new buddies in the religious right, telling Tim Russert that they have "a major role to play in the Republican Party" and reversing his position that Jerry Falwell is an 'agent of intolerance'. Why, he may even speak at Bob Jones University too! Anyone who would sacrifice his strongest beliefs like that (and would make faustian bargains with the same people who attacked his family six years ago) is not someone I would trust as President.

Arianna Huffington wonders if Sen. Hagel has hijacked the Straight Talk Express as McCain continues to distort the truth while speaking in support of the war. As Jon Stewart asked McCain himself last April, "Has the Straight Talk Express been rerouted through Bullshit Town?"

One blogger strongly insists... McCain’s beatable.

On the donkey side, Time Magazine covered Hillary Clinton the only way they know how... by running a cover story asking viewers to choose 'Love Her' or 'Hate Her' and mail in their votes. Sen. Clinton will always be reported in these polarizing terms, perhaps with some good reason. Just further proof that she has far too much baggage for the Democratic party to allow her to run. Because of ego, she will. The Democrats' only hope is that primary voters are smart enough to stop her.

Finally, Rolling Stone magazine asks the question- "Bloomberg '08?" Some people are actually apparently considering this. I like Bloomberg and all, but I doubt Middle America could actually be convinced to vote for a single Jewish liberal, even if he was a Republican. Put fellow single Jewish liberal Russ Feingold on the other end of the ballot and maybe we have an election.