7 Questions as the Race for the White House Accelerates

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: 7 Questions as the Race for the White House Accelerates
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 2, 2007; A02

1. Is the Clinton campaign a true juggernaut -- or is that just what she wants everyone to believe?

Not a juggernaut, but it is the best campaign on the block right now. That's a view widely shared among Democratic strategists and emphatically asserted by some veteran Republicans sizing up the race....

2. Is there a Republican front-runner?

Yes. Two actually, depending on how you read the race and history: Giuliani and Romney....

3. Is anyone on either side positioned to break into the top tier?

There was a near-unanimous view that, among Republicans, only Huckabee has the potential to do so. But there was an equally strong view that it will be awfully difficult....On the Democratic side, the challenge is even greater....

4. Does the new, turbo- charged calendar make Iowa and New Hampshire more important -- or less?

More important, unless they aren't -- and that's not as odd as it sounds. In the Democratic field, none of the candidates is acting as if any states matter more than Iowa and New Hampshire. Democrats say that if Clinton wins Iowa, she will be extremely difficult to stop, short of some unexpected event....

5. Is it too late for Al Gore or Newt Gingrich to get into the race?

In a word, yes....

6. Do ideas matter in this election?

Yes, but no candidate has yet seized the mantle of the ideas candidate -- though Edwards has certainly tried....

7. When do I really need to start paying attention, and should I trust the polls?

If you've read this far, you're obviously paying close attention already. If you jumped to this question first, here are some thoughts from those who live and breathe campaigns....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/01/AR2007090101287_pf.html

[luckyleftyme2]

1. UNLESS WE GIVE IT AWAY

unless we the party of the people give it away there is no way the republicans can win the white house or either branch of legislature. thats how bad george junior has screwed up
p.s. what else is new in his demeanor!

[pocoloco]

3. "Trust me, Kerry will win in a landslide"

[Jai4WKC08]

5. Amen n/t

[acmavm]

2. I definitely have a different take on a couple of issues here, but one is

making me giggle. That 'new life' can come to John McCain's campaign?

And the other is that Al Gore couldn't win if he jumped in the race now. That's nonsense. If Gore jumps in anytime before the primaries, he's as good as got the nomination. At least in my opinion.

edit: To add that I've given up thinking that Gore will enter the race.

[nevergiveup]

4. Thoughts on # 2 , #5 and #6

Giuliani is and will continue to be the GOP front runner. Remember, he is an "American hero".
Gore would create a shambles of the party if he jumped in at this late date and he knows it. I also do not think he wants to take on Hillary. It isn't that he couldn't beat her but there would be blood in the streets and this is the last thing he and Tipper need in their lives.
Ideas matter in this election but only in a general sense. The average voter doesn't care about the specifics in a certain proposal but rather are looking for empathy and vision. They want someone honest with good character who cares about their own little personal world. This is why Edwards and Obama will continue to hang around.