Who are your top picks for the Dem and Repub tickets in 2008?

[UrbScotty]

I know, we still have 2 1/2 years until primary season, and yes, we have midterm elections in 15 months, the Ohio election in a couple days, and elections for governors and mayors this fall and in 2007. I'm not saying they're not important; they're VERY important.

However, I just wanted to see what DUers are been thinking about the 2008 race as of the end of July 2005. I will bookmark this thread just to see how our feelings towards the candidates have changed. I, for one, was a Kerry person not long before the 2002 election, then I wanted Gore to get the nod. When he said no to an '04 run, I became a Deaniac, then a Bobcat (Graham). When Graham left the race, I got behind Kucinich, then Clark, Dean again, and finally Kerry again.

For 2008, my three favorite potential candidates for the Democratic Party nomination are:

1. Russ Feingold (Oh so progressive!)
2. Mark Warner (Knows how to run things)
3. Wesley Clark (Don't tell him about how to protect our nation!)

Now, whom would I like the Democratic nominee to face in 2008? Ah-nuld would top my list if he were allowed to run; the GOP would splinter! But assuming an amendment is not rushed through, I would like to see the Repubs nominate:

1. Jeb (because of his last name)
2. Rick Santorum (Isn't it obvious?)
3. Haley Barbour (Just a plain old pig)

[stray cat]

1. I really like Feingold but would support any of your three democrats

[UrbScotty]

3. Are there others you'd support besides those three?

Personally, I like Edwards. I wouldn't support Vilsack or Bayh for the nomination if they ran.

[Sperk]

2. It's gonna be Jeb, no doubt about it....Bush Dynasty and all. Who

the Dem is doesn't matter, they're gonna steal it again.

Cynical yes, but true.

[Old_Fart]

4. Clinton / Edwards

Like it or not its about name recognition.

Let the wingers run who they want because they are all a bunch of shit!

[Czolgosz]

5. I have fallen out of love with Hillary.

[Old_Fart]

6. All of us have

Like it or not its a winning name. Bill was the best president that we have had since Kennedy.

Name recognition = "Bush" = :puke: Get the picture!

[Czolgosz]

8. Name identification is HUGE, but only as the prime component of branding.

Bush had an extremely effective brand identity. The fact that his image is not altogether positive is not as important as the fact that his image is clear and presented without much contradiction (e.g., Bush as an everyman who frequently misspeaks -- he's the political equivalent of Jessica Simpson who is the most successfully marketed "celebrity" in recent years -- and while that image is not an overwhelmingly positive one in is simple and clear and nonthreatening). This is why the key attack on Kerry was as a flip flopper -- you don't know what he is. That's a complicated and unclear image that simple-minded people will find threatening and unpleasant.

Hillary has muddied her image to the point that she no longer projects a simple brand.

This, at least, is what my marketing genius brother tells me.

[Old_Fart]

7. The Republicans can run a toilet full of shit

Minus the toilet, isn't that what they run all of the time?

[Totally Committed]

9. By the next election, I am hoping that if there is a God,

She has seen fit to Rapture the entire Republican Party and their supporters off the face of the Earth, leaving a Wes Clark administration to put the U.S, back on the road to greatness, and start to repair the damage done by them.

So, for me it's Wes Clark for President/Commander-in-Chief.

Boxer, Obama, Feingold, or any good, honest, decent Democrat as the VP/Leader of the Senate would do.

Just my opinion.

[HardWorkingDem]

10. Clark/Dean.....

Sometimes I think Dean is pushing so hard because he can't lose either way - if he is chased out of the DNC position by the DLC or moderates he can relinquish his pledge not to run in 08.

I think Clark's problems just came from being a novice in presidential politics and he will have adapted way beyond that.

For me, H. Clinton is just a self-serving politician like her husband was. Don't get me wrong, I loved Clinton's political skills, but he just had too much ego and self-interest for me. I think he could have done more for the life of the party, than he did (for example, strengthen union laws and more things that had an impact on every day American life and people).

[Totally Committed]

12. "Clark/Dean"

I, personally, would welcome this ticket. Bigtime.

Wes could be the POTUS/CIC, and Dean could be VP/Head of the Senate.

This country would really get somewhere, then.

[election_2004]

13. Dean will still be DNC chair in Fall 2008

Any of these tickets featuring Clark could be very electorally powerful:

Clark/Feingold
Clark/Stabenow
Clark/Blanco
Clark/Sebelius

Of course, I'm betting most progressives on this board would prefer Clark/Feingold. ;)

[Totally Committed]

14. I would also look kindly on Clark/Feingold.

Talk about a "Just the facts, ma'am" ticket!

I know it's a fantasy, but Clark/Boxer is a goodie, too. And, a lot of people I know would love a Clark/Obama ticket.

I guess only time will tell. I used to think this was way too early, but with all this Hillary Hullaballo, I guess the time-lines got moved up radically.

[election_2004]

15. Yep.....

I honestly don't think Boxer would be a wise strategy for Clark, as the nominee. The Republican candidate won't be winning California anytime soon. And I think Obama wants to finish his term in the Senate, and run for reelection in 2010.

If Clark was going to pick a woman, he should select a moderate Governor (or Debbie Stabenow).

On the other hand, Clark selecting Feingold as a running mate would all but guarantee the Democratic ticket to win Wisconsin's electoral votes, taking one of the otherwise "battleground states" off the table.

Feingold, as V.P., would also bring back a lot of the disgruntled voters who might otherwise seriously consider voting Green or third-party.

And finally, with the corporate media blatantly trying to coronate Hillary as the nominee, 2.5 years before a single primary vote has even been cast - - yes, it is most definitely all the more essential to move up the timetable for serious dialogue on 2008...at least, for those who want there to be ALTERNATIVES OF SUBSTANCE in the primaries.

[FrenchieCat]

18. If Clark picks a woman....

it should be Loretta Sanchez. A woman, experience, tough, telegenic, Hispanic, with a history of beating long established REpublicans in their own territory.


Now that would make for a fresh ticket.

[election_2004]

23. Sanchez would be intriguing...

She's one of the few Californians who I think could be a credible V.P. selection.

Of course, people on DU would whine about how Sanchez was just another "DLC corporatist."

[election_2004]

11. Lincoln/Clark/Warner

My top choices for the Dem nomination:

1.) Blanche Lincoln
2.) Wes Clark
3.) Mark Warner (or possibly Tom Vilsack)

And my top choices for potential vice-presidential picks:

1.) if Lincoln is the nominee - - Warner or Feingold
2.) if Clark is the nominee - - Feingold, Stabenow, Blanco, or Sebelius
3.) if Warner/Vilsack/Bayh is the nominee - - Lincoln, Richardson, or Feingold

Hillary Clinton would be the NIGHTMARE Dem nominee, not because she "couldn't win" (I actually think she could), but because of all the consequences that her presence on the ticket and presidency would bring (i.e., heavy Dem U.S. Senate/House losses in '08, handing prepackaged sensationalism to the MSM on a silver platter, devastating Senate/House losses in the 2010 midterms)

Hillary = Kool-Aid

GOP nomination:

In some ways, I really could care less, because aside from McCain and Guiliani, the rest of the could-runs (Frist, Allen, Santorum, Brownback, Huckabee, Romney) all MAJORLY SUCK!!!!!

But I don't think the RW will let McCain or Guiliani get the nomination. What I'm saying is if the president HAD (as in predestination) to be a Republican, I'd want it to be McCain or Guiliani over any of those right-wing wackos.

But if the Democratic nominee is actually a STRONG candidate (i.e. Lincoln, Clark, Warner), I wouldn't want to see him/her go up against McCain/Guiliani, because I believe those two would be the strongest the GOP has the offer in an electoral matchup.

Yet, I don't want to see it be Frist/Allen/Brownback or their clones end up in the White House, if an acceptable Dem nominee loses the General Election.

So I'm conflicted over who the GOP nominee should be.

[FrenchieCat]

17. Do you really think that

1.) if Lincoln is the nominee - - Warner or Feingold is a strong national security/Foreign policy ticket?

Do you think that Lincoln, with the help of Warner can actually clean up the ravage of the Bush Policies?

Lincoln is a woman....and not an especially forceful or "leaderlike" one....and Warner is a one term governor who has no Foreign policy or National Security credentials (the man wasn't even governor when 9/11 hit).

Warner-- We don't even know where he stands on Iraq, but we do know that Lincoln voted for it. How is that "Strong"?

Then you've got Fiengold, who never saw a defense issue that he liked. The man has voted NO on all defense actions, including intervention to stop the genocide in Kosovo. Now that might sound good and Democratically peacenick (and why he would be paired with Lincoln who votes for all defense bills is a mystery to me) during a primary...but it will be a disaster during a general election...especially if our troops are still committed all over the place.

Sorry Election 2004...I just don't get some of your picks.

That number 1 of yours just does not conjure up a "strong ticket" to me.

[election_2004]

21. A few responses....

1.) I thought the conventional concern about running a woman is that she would be "TOO" forceful and leaderlike, and alienate voters because of the gender double standards?

2.) yes, Lincoln could do it, because of her experience in Congress forging alliances in an extremely tense political climate. That's going to be important when it comes to reconciling with world leaders across the globe. And a lot of nations would look favorably on the U.S. nominating a qualified and dignified woman as its Commander-in-Chief.

3.) pairing Lincoln and Feingold would provide ideological balance to the ticket...both have voted differently on defense bills as per the wishes of different constituencies, but both have demanded alternatives to the Neocon Method of handling defense policies

4.) on Iraq: Hillary voted for Iraq too, and has expressed that we must "stay the course"...yet, people claim that Hillary is supposedly the "strongest and most qualified" candidate (although they never bother explaining WHY or HOW) who the Democrats could run. While I don't agree with their KoolAid-induced assessments of HRC, I also don't view Iraq as an "end-all" issue when it comes to presidential candidates.

5.) Feingold would be a strong national security compliment because of his committee work and foreign policy positions

6.) Warner's supporters contend that, as a Governor, he would have the Executive-level experience to show leadership qualities on the world stage. I simply don't think he's served long enough to be the BEST choice for the top of the ticket, but he'd be an effective V.P.

Out of curiosity, who do you think would be the strongest running mate for Clark?

[AJH032]

16. McCain?

Why not John Mccain for the GOP?

[Corey_Baker08]

19. Kerry/Clinton 2008

For Republicans im Thinking McCain for sure.

[election_2004]

22. two "Northeastern LIBRULS"???

How many red states do you think they would flip?

[quinnox]

20. Picks for 08

for the Dems I would love to see Hillary Clinton run, as for her VP, not sure but it would have to be a man methinks.

Other picks include Kerry again, if he can manage to win the primaries again then I think he will have earned another shot, but at this time I am thinking that would be tough to do.

Warner, is an interesting choice. Like most people I didn't know much about him, but recently the Wall Street Journal had an article about him, basically a hit piece (big surprise) saying he is a tax and spend liberal in a fiscal conservatives clothing, and if the Journal(right wing cesspool) doesn't like him that automatically moves him up on my list.

Bayh does nothing for me, seems to be a big bore and I doubt he would have enough to win a presidential election.

For the republicans, Bill Frist would be a generous gift to the Democrats, if he wins on the GOP side then I think just about any Dem will win.

But if I had to pick for most tolerable republican, then I would go with Hagel.

Although I think McCain is ok, that now famous picture of him embracing Bush gives me nausea and lowers him a few notches.

[Auntie Bush]

24. Clark/ ??????

[AzDar]

25. Edwards/Clark..or Clark/Edwards would be sweeeeet! n/t

[MrSlayer]

26. Wes Clark first and foremost.

I think Warner is a solid pick too being a popular Democrat in a Red state. And my wildcard pick is always Kucinich.


For the pukes I think Dick Cheney, Jeb Bush or Dennis Hastert. Don't think Uncle Dick won't have the balls to do it either. He'll have been running this country for 8 years and won't want to relinquish his power.

[UrbScotty]

27. I thought Rove, not Cheney, was in charge. (nt)

[MrSlayer]

30. Why would you think that?

Rove is a handy propagandist and dirty strategist but Cheney wields the real power and directs the policy.

[UrbScotty]

33. Well, considering that both Bush and Cheney are all about politics...

Who else could be in charge but Rove?

[kodi]

28. Al Gore or Wes Clark

Why not the best?

[GRLMGC]

29. I have a Republican ticket

Allen/Santorum, bwahahahahahaaha

[Mz Pip]

31. For the Repugs

some Southern Repug Governor. Don't know which one. Maybe Jeb.

Don't know about the Dems yet. Hope they don't try to run another Northeasterner again. It hasn't worked since Kennedy in 1960. Hillary is just too polarizing.

I like Clark, always have, but don't know if he will do it again.


Mz Pip
:dem:

[Clark2008]

32. Jeb's the only Southern Republican with any name-power.

Ironically enough, the only other Southern governors with name-power are Democrats: Warner and Bredesen.

Hell, I can't even tell you who the governors are in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. I'm bad, but, basically, I don't care - even though all those states border mine.

[BlueIris]

34. I am now predicting: Kerry/Kerrey vs. McCain/Thompson. nt.

[election_2004]

35. I think Bob Kerrey is out

Just like Al Gore, I think that former Senator Bob Kerrey has no plans to run for elected office again.

[Sparkly]

36. General Clark vs. Alan Keyes (or anybody else for that matter) n/t

[chimpymustgo]

37. Gore/Edwards vs Delay/Santorum

heh