WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
The Line: '08 Hopefuls Shift Into High Gear
....DEMOCRATS
1. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Anyone who still harbors doubts about whether Clinton is serious about a run for the nomination in 2008 hasn't been paying attention lately. In the last week alone, Clinton has named a campaign manager, made calls to key Iowa and New Hampshire activists and begun recruiting staff talent -- including communications strategist Phil Singer. Clinton insiders insist she will continue to discuss her potential candidacy with an ever-growing circle of people in the coming weeks as she weighs a final decision; they point to her listening tour in 1999 when she was deciding whether to run for Senate in New York as the blueprint for this choice. At this point, we'd be shocked if she didn't run. The more interesting barometer is watching for her next trip to Iowa and counting how many reporters travel with her. (Previous ranking: 1)
2. John Edwards: Edwards has been lost in the shuffle somewhat over the past month or so, but he retains a number of considerable strengths that have him best positioned to be the Clinton alternative. The new nominating calendar -- Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina -- fits Edwards to a tee. The 2004 vice-presidential nominee retains considerable good will and support in Iowa, has strong relations with the influential labor unions in Nevada, and has home-state appeal in South Carolina -- a primary he won during the last presidential year. Edwards also seems prepared to cast his campaign as a fight for economic equality and social justice -- a message that resonated for Democrats in places like Ohio and Missouri in 2006. The major question mark for Edwards is whether he can raise the money to compete with Clinton and Obama. He is sure to show a big number --$10 million plus -- in his first quarter report of 2007, but the real test will be whether he can follow that up with several more just like it. (Previous ranking: 3)
3. Barack Obama: With every passing day, The Fix becomes more and more convinced that Obama is going to enter the presidential race. The "man for the times" argument is already being circulated, and Obama is the rare politician who seems to excite the inside-the-Beltway types and the out-in-the-states activists equally. Dante Scala, a professor at St. Anselm's College and a New Hampshire political expert, makes a compelling argument for the difficulties Obama might run into in the Granite State primary. It's well worth a read. At some point, Obama-mania is sure to wear off (or at least recede slightly), and it's at that moment that his '08 presidential hopes will be made or broken. Obama is just an idea right now to many people, a symbol of everything that is right (or could be right) with our democracy. When and if he becomes a candidate, the junior senator from Illinois will be forced to take positions on any number of controversial issues and will be hard-pressed to maintain that "above politics" image. Still, most of the Democrats in the field would trade places with Obama without thinking twice. (Previous ranking: 2)
4. Evan Bayh: In perhaps the least-surprising political news of recent memory, Sen. Bayh formed an exploratory committee last week to look closely at a run for president. He is running. And, while The Fix has made clear for the better part of the last year that Bayh could well be a dark horse pick, there are grumblings among some in his home state's media about what exactly the former Indiana governor and two-term senator stands for. "The hangup for Bayh is what former President Bush called the 'vision thing,'" wrote the Indianapolis Star's editorial board this week. "It's hard for voters to be passionate about a leader who seems so dispassionate about the direction he wants to guide the nation." Ouch. (Previous ranking: 4)...
(NOTE: The fifth Democrat is NM Governor Bill Richardson. The five Republicans are McCain, Romney, Gingrich, Giuliani and Brownback.)
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2006/12/the_line_08_hopefuls_shift_int.html#more
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