Rice in 2008???
Well, she's not ruling it out, evidently. Good thing too, since a recent
Quinnipiac University poll puts Hillary Clinton in a virtual dead-heat with the other two members of my triumvirate of preferred presidential candidates, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.
Sure, she lacks electoral experience, but her main appeal may be simple demographics. In the current political landscape, even with Hillary, the Democrats need virtually every African-American vote as well as a healthy majority of single women to have a shot at winning the White House. Anyone who can significantly erode Democratic dominance of these voting blocks (as Rice potentially could) would spell real trouble the Dems.
And yeah, I'm being cynical here, but, well, look at the name of this site. You can't say you weren't warned.
Comments
Barry, if you think that John McCain or Rudolph Guilliani can win the Republican nomination, you are fooling yourself. The ONLY way either of these two could win the Presidency is by running as a third party, a slim possibility given that they are both friends.
The reason is that McCain can't win the nomination is that he has irritated far too many Republicans. The far right, the swift boat veterans, and commentators like Rush Limbaugh all dislike him tremendously. This is a party of loyalty and he is not trusted by too many in the party. Given that these people have not forgiven Arlen Spector for Robert Bork, I doubt that they will forgive and forget in 2008.
As far as Guilliani, this guy is pro-choice, pro-gun, an adulterer, and travels in the company of Bernard Kerik. In short, he is a New Yorker. Fuhgettaboutit.
Condi Rice, on the other hand, could win the nomination and could win the Presidency. She is loyal and could perhaps have the weight of the Bush presidency behind her. She will have to learn how to be a politician, but Eisenhower was a quick learner and it will help her tremendously to have the White House behind her. The one thing I do think she will have to do is announce that she is pro-life. While I think that Republicans can accept converts on this issue (example being Bush 41's switch in 1980), she may be challenged from the right if she tries to run as pro-choice. The Bush White House may not even support her if she tries to run as pro-choice given that issue is so symbolic to Bush's core supporters.
Posted by: PE | March 13, 2005 03:21 PM
Correction: Rudy is pro-gun control.
Also remember, that before the Virginia Primary in 2000, McCain spoke out strongly against the Christian Right. He made some good points, but it was very strongly worded, coming as it was after the South Carolina primary. If he runs for the nomination again, that speech and speeches like it will be replayed.
Posted by: PE | March 13, 2005 03:32 PM
I dont think that Condi Rice will run. However, I wish she did. In that case it would be a landslide victory for Hillary.
I agree that McCain and Giuliani can not win the republican nomination for the reasons mentioned above. I predict that Jeb Bush will run, but he will be defeated by Hillary Clinton.
Posted by: Blue Wind | March 13, 2005 03:37 PM