The Democratic Field

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.

8 comments… add one
  • 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.

  • Tom Strong Link

    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.

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