My capacity for handling more pain and tolerance for political posturing are both limited these days so I didn’t watch the group press conference that was advertised as a debate on MSNBC last night. Joe Gandelman, of course, has a superb precise and link round-up. Go there for such things.
I’ve already made up my mind. Despite the fact that I disagree adamantly with his proposal on Iraq, I continue to support Bill Richardson. I think he’s a solid, thoughtful, sensible candidate with the right mix of experience and image. If I have the opportunity, I’ll vote for him in the primary.
If I don’t have the opportunity to vote for him, I really don’t know who I’d support. I can’t imagine circumstances under which I’d vote for Hillary Clinton. I don’t think that Barack Obama is ready. Edwards is frighteningly populist. I’ve thought that Joe Biden was a simpleton for 20 years. Chris Dodd doesn’t have the experience. Kucinich and Gravel are loons.
Yeah, tough choices. Part of a two-party system that seems to breed mediocrity. I think I like Richardson the best as well.
I think you’re too hard on Biden. But Richardson would be my guy as well. He could end up as the Veep candidate.
Watching these people, I couldn’t get a sense that I was looking at any one person that I thought could be president. There seems to be no “inevitable” candidate. Perhaps there is somebody waiting.
The GOP side is similarly boring and distressing.
But at least we still have a long haul to the general. Maybe we could draft Fritz Mondale and Lamar Alexander.
Have any of these clowns been through military service–even a short term with the national guard? These guys are all psychologically neotenous overgrown adolescents. There’s no there, there.
Although I gather your question was meant rhetorically, Al Fin, I’ll answer it anyway. Mike Gravel (the looniest of the bunch) served a hitch in the Army. Christopher Dodd was in the U. S. Army Reserves from 1968 to 1975. None of the others have seen military service.
Dave,
As if Al Fin’s question is germane. Article II clearly lays out the qualifications. Military service is not on the list.
Richardson would be my choice, too. But I could deal with him being veep to Obama – whose inexperience disturbs me, but who still seems like he’s the smartest of the lot.