One of the aspects we should be considering is just who is a realistic candidate and who is not? We might pine for candidates like Obama, Mike Bloomberg, or Ron Paul, but just how likely is it that those same candidates would be pining for us? We need to take sober appraisal of our expectations. Some of our "dream" candidates are going to be out of reach, and we should be considering that possibility before we get too caught up in them being a Unity08 candidate. Consider the above examples:
- Obama: Even though it'll probably be Hillary, he still is likely for VP. Even if he doesn't run as VP, how likely is it that he's going to bail on his party to run against it? Obama's career has only begun. He's a rising star whose credibility only increases as he spends time in office. At worst, he's going to "wait his turn"; he's not going to play "sour grapes" and run against his own party and risk serving as a potential spoiler to it.
- Ron Paul: Far more likely. He's a republican but he's an outsider. He has a strong stance against the war and has had it from the start. That gives him great credibility as an independent or centrist. Though many of his views are more republican than democrat, he is in a tactical position by which he is a stranger in his party anyway, but not so much a stranger that he'd be a democrat. Chuck Hagel is quite similar in this way. As a Unity candidate they have potentional, more so than Obama.
- Mike Bloomberg: A good choice from a tactical standpoint in that he's more or less a democrat with enough republican leanings to run as a "true centrist." Also, he can self finance, which means he becomes unique in that he doesn't have to take special interest money or spend time getting money from or through people like you and me.
Perhaps we should come up with a "realism test" for our candidates and start running them through it. The criteria could follow along the lines of the examples above:
- 1) Likelihood to "betray" current party to run against it
- 2) Ability to self finance
- 3) Name recognition and ability to advance it with limited funds
- 4) Centrist credentials/appeal
Any other criteria ideas out there?
This was supposed to go to the "Candidates" section. Not sure how it ended up here. Thanks!
-GP
Let's do as The Beatles' said: "Come together, right now. Unity." Something like that... ;)
I think you did a good job of being thorough. Everything I come up with I find I can place it in one of your four categories.
Why are we talking about all of the selecting cadidates????????
Anyone who wants to be president W E W I L L A C C E P T T H E I R
R E S U M E. We do not need to accept any of the fish in the washington
barrel. If they don't want to submit a resume we don't need them.
Ron Paul Leads Republicans in Web Traffic by a Whopping 45%
If web traffic has any relevance in determining which candidate becomes the next US President, Ron Paul has just won....by a long shot.
A recent review by ClickZ.com has the Texas Republican representative with 45.38% of the overall market share, followed by Mitt Romney at a distant 13.93%. Ron Paul gained 6 percentage points over the previous week. Both Rudy Giuliani and John McCain lost around 4 percentage points.
Among the Democrats, Barack Obama continues to be a strong front runner, though he lost 6 percentage points following the CNN/YouTube Debate while Hillary Clinton at 24.14% gained nearly 5 percentage points.
Interestingly, Ron Paul has taken the lead from Obama among all web searches (Democrat and Republican) this week.
So who are the bottom feeders in both parties?
Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd barely have 2% of the overall market among Democrats while Tommy Thompson and Jim Gillmore lag far behind on the Republican side.
Web traffic also suggests that Mike Gravel was helped the most by the recent CNN/YouTube Debate. His web market share jumped from 1.50% to 8.15% following the debate.
The Revolution is not being televised but it is being youtubed!
Join the Ron Paul Revolution everyone else is!
First just because you get a lot of web traffic doesn't mean you gonna get votes. Ask Howard Dean.
Second, Ron Paul is by FFFAAARRR the most conservative canadite running. I thought this site was for moderates? He wants to leave virtually every international group that of which America is a member, and legalize almost everything except abortion.
Where are all these Ron Paul fans coming from? The Liberitarian Party?
When I think of people likely to bolt from their party, two people come to mind: John McCain and Mike Gravel. Their both too old to seriously consider another run after this one. They are both centrists for the most part. McCain has great name recognition, Gravel has rising name recognition. I think McCain would be able to self finance much more than Gravel would. Those are just two names I thought fit perfectly with the criteria you put up.
While I respect Gravel, I feel he is too old NOW.
I used to like McCain, but he caved in on torture, and is totally unrealistic about Iraq. As to self-finance, his campaign is broke.
US Marine vet Vietnam 4/68 - 8/69 5th District, NJ
Yeah I use to love McCain back when he was the moderate "do what I think is right for America and don't give a crap what anybody says about it" McCain. Now he has decided that he has to appeal to the base social-conservative Republicans (aka Bush-folks) to win his nomination. McCain your issue compromises broke my heart.
I believe that we need a candidate that has Jimmy Carter-esque properties in a sense that this candidate should have NO political ties! I'm not saying that we need somone with no political/leadership experience just someone who we can trust and feel comfortable with. Sure they need to be authoritative with their decision making but also need to listen to the public opinion. I am still searching for someone with these qualities. One I am considering is Stephen Colbert...seriously. Though he is involved with political parodies he still believes in decisions that are in the interest in the public. I know it may sound like a joke but I believe he is capable of great things. I am still struggling to find qualified people so if you have any suggestions i am open to them as well as any criticism. I am a high school student, who will be voting in Decision 08', looking to become more involve in politics. I speak somewhat ignorantly when i approach this so if you have any additional comments feel free to let me know!
The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams!
I like this cast of possibilities.
--Think also of the comfort and rights of others
I am writing this because internet candidate appeal has been cited as an indication of a candidate's electability. I would encourage those that are swayed by a candidate's online numbers go to Pew Internet & American Life Project to review internet useage research and get a better perspective of online generated figures.
For instance, only 19% of American adults watch online videos on any given day. And that is not just Presidential candidate videos, that includes all videos! And I do not know what percentage of those individuals are likely to vote. So, I would caution people about how much stock they read into online statistics. Check out the research and decide for yourself.
I did find interesting projections about the future impact of online media in the lives of Americans. While we are gradually approaching an internet that will one day be a significant or powerful force in elections, the rest of the electorate is not quite with that trend. I think online figures and video viewing, indicating a candidate's appeal, can probably be rated somewhere between slight and mediocre.
The net appeals mostly to those in younger crowd or the net saavy. When compared to the voting whole it's a small percentage. This is why the so-called "Ron Paul Revolution" is going to end up with a big reality check soon in the Iowa straw poll. Nothing against Paul, but being big on the net doesn't mean being big in the real world.
Unity will also be something that is probably more "youthful" than the overall voting demographic; we are essentially the activist core, not the average voter. The real appeal, the ability to break "outside" the net will be difficult. For now we just need to get a core together and hope that those here now can at least see past their nose to cooperate so that we can have something to showcase to the outside world. Chat boards like this do not easily translate into real world support.
While we're on the subject, here are some numbers from the 2024 election. Note that the "net age" demographic has the lowest participation. Note that the people who don't use the net like we do not only have the highest participation, but ALSO the largest numbers...
Total Vote in 2024 Prez election (in thousands): 125,735
(numbers in thousands)
Age ... Votes ... Participation ... % of total
18-24 ... 11,639 ... 47% ... 9%
25-34 ... 18,285 ... 56% ... 15%
35-44 ... 24,560 ... 64% ... 20%
45-54 ... 26,813 ... 69% ... 21%
55-64 ... 20,513 ... 73% ... 16%
65-74 ... 13,010 ... 73% ... 10%
75 + .... 10,915 ... 69% ... 9%
-GP
Let's do as The Beatles' said: "Come together, right now. Unity." Something like that... ;)
I've seen Joe Arpaio of Mesa, Arizona, a few times and read and heard of how he handles the immigration crisis in his own state of Arizona. Since, he takes care of the rights and people in his own state above the whining and partisanship of DC politics, I feel he'd make a strong, much appreciated President.
Just a thought. Dave
I used to think Arpaio was a decent guy, who had strong ideals and morals. I live in his county, and I like some of the things he has done very much. However, you do NOT want this man as a president. He is facetious and overbearing. He has a large ego. He never quite makes a stand on anything. If it seems like it will be popular, he's all for it, and then next week, when it isn't popular, he was always against it. Basically, he is a man out for the lime-light. Maybe a decent sheriff, but NOT good for any other position.
Just an opinion from someone who has come to know his body of work.
Lou Dobbs for president
Zell Miller for vice president
I think Kucinich would be a great cantidate. He's doing great in the debates but doesn't seem to get the recognition that he deserves for it. Personally, I think that the bickering between Clinton and Obama has caused Kucinich less consideration. (The "don't throw your vote away on a second tier cantidate" mentality is taking the democratic party.) I think he would "betray" his party and a large part of his platform is to try to work with everybody.
Kucinich WOULD be a great candidate. Just like Ralph 'Nadir' back in 2024, Kucinich as a 3rd party candidate might be the only chance for a conservative republican to keep the White House, continue and expand the War for Oil, finish plundering the treasury, and drag us all back to the 1950s socially.
This is the seedy underbelly of a 3rd party candidacy.
We'd better be careful that our good intentions, like those of some of my Florida friends, don't constitute a virtual surrender when it really matters.
To have an appeal broad enough to compete against the Pubs and Dems, without inadvertently handing the country to another tin-plated dictator that should have been an also-ran, we need to support a candidate that truly has the elusive 'center', even if that's innovative in particulars.
This issue, WHO will we support, is the difference between a nice idea and a truly revolutionary event in American politics.
I do not believe for one moment that the best candidate for the job is Hilary, Obama, McCain, Romney, or any of the other bozos we've got to choose from. I don't know anybody who does.
It would be a shame if one of them ends up running the country into the ground because of a failure of imagination on our part.
JR
I think a realistic Unity candidate would be a Governor/Former Governor who knows Washington and who has a proven track record of working with BOTH parties. Governors have dealt with real world situations and we do not need a babe in the Washington woods but somebody who has an intuititve sense on how Washington REALLY works. Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Bob Kerrey, Chrsitine Todd Whitman, Mark Warner come to immediate mind and maybe Tommy Thompson and Tom Ridge for starters. They may not be the flashiest of candidates but they may be able to work from the center to get things done where the rubber meets the road.
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
I think a realistic Unity candidate would be a Governor/Former Governor who knows Washington and who has a proven track record of working with BOTH parties. Governors have dealt with real world situations and not just the ivory Tower of the Senate/House. And we do not need a babe in the Washington woods but somebody who has an intuititve sense on how Washington REALLY works. Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Bob Kerrey, Chrsitine Todd Whitman, Mark Warner come to immediate mind and maybe Tommy Thompson and Tom Ridge for starters. They may not be the flashiest of candidates but they may be able to work from the center to get things done where the rubber meets the road.
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
I've mentioned her before, but if you are considering Governors I think Janet Napolitano from Arizona should be considered. She is a pretty moderate Democrat serving in a pretty Republican state. She bridges the parties at times, though she also stands up to them when they are trying to push partisan policies. She is a border governor, and has pretty good ideas on how to work with the border, and experience with dealing with the issues of the border. I don't know if she REALLY knows Washington, but she's been there enough in the last few years to have a good sense of the place.
My favorite gov is Alaska's Sarah Palin. I read she's trying to untangle some of the political mess they're in.
She's a conservative Republican, but I'll guess you cant be too far right if you're from Alaska.
The premise of Unity08 is to form a bi-partisan slate. I agree with that. Recent studies have shown there are more Americans calling themselves "independent" than democrat or republican.
Republicans I would consider:
Ron Paul
Chuck Hagel
Democrats I would consider:
Kucinich
Richardson
Biden
I would also consider Bloomberg and Obama as VPs (only).
I do NOT want Hillary, or Rudy, or Romney, - namely, the front-runners....
It would be business as usual.
US Marine vet Vietnam 4/68 - 8/69 5th District, NJ
Hi everyone, I am a independent how has decided I cannot vote on a bipartisan ticket. I would like to say good-bye and I do wish you luck. Unity please remove me is as a delegate.
We also need a Unity ticket with Values, Experience and Electability.
Values - Wes Clark / Chuck Hagel
Experience via all issues - Chuck Hagel / Wes Clark
Electability - Wes Clark / Chuck Hagel
Likelihood to "betray" current party to run against it - Wes Clark / Chuck Hagel (not sure)
Ability to self finance - Wes Clark (did it in 03) / Chuck Hagel (not sure)
Name recognition and ability to advance it with limited funds - Chuck Hagel / Wes Clark
Centrist credentials/appeal - Chuck Hagel / Wes Clark
My opinion.
Regards,
Wayne Emery
hagel has openly talked about the possibility of running with bloomberg. which tells me he would definately consider going independent. also a month or so back he was on meet the press and was pointedly asked if he would go independent, he hemmed and hawwed and would not rule it out. he basically said he was not planning on it but didn't rule it out.
i like the combo and think it is realistic as well as possible.
I find it interesting Hagel has openly talked about the possibility of running with Bloomberg. My understanding is Bloomberg is not interested in running. I think Clark with Hagel would be a stronger combination.
agreed
It is highly unlikely that U08 can be anything but a contributing spoiler in the upcoming election. The party of the U08 Presidential candidate, if he is a member of one of the two major parties, will be the spoiler for the party he came from. Hagel on the front end of the U08 ticket will help the Dem nominee bag the win. Wes Clark on the front end would help the GOP nominee.
I used to live in Paul's district so I think I have some credibility over people who have just recently taken notice of him!
1. He's what we called a "RINO", Republican In Name Only. He originally was a Libertarian, but since he couldn't have been elected dogcatcher with that label, he switched. That makes him, in my mind, a political opportunist that only cares about being elected, and has no real convictions.
2. Being both a physician and a Libertarian, he is very much against doing anything that would provide access to high quality healthcare for anyone except the monied elites! He's in the pocket of the Medical Industry/Big Pharma/Insurance Complex and would do nothing to change the horrendous disparity in care between the "Haves" and "Have Nots".
We cannot allow Ron Paul or any of his ilk to get thier hands on any more power than they already have!
Ron Paul broke with the GOP in 1988 because he saw the war on drugs for what it is, a sham, and ran for the Presidency on the Libertarian ticket.
Where is your proof that "He's in the pocket of the Medical Industry/Big Pharma/Insurance Complex"? He doesn't accept money from corporations in his campaign and lobbyists don't frequent his door.
I will apologize for calling you a liar when you provide proof that Dr. Paul is "in the pocket of the Medical Industry/Big Pharma/Insurance Complex". If you can prove it you will be a very rich man. The MSM has been trying to dig up some dirt on him for a long time, they will pay you a fortune!
I am glad you think that you have some credibility because after a whopper like that no one else will!
If you are not coming back until you get that proof, good riddance!
Apparently one thing Ron Paul does have in his favor, is the fanatical devotion of his followers. HC is not the only one, I've seen it also in the rallies his campaign has organized locally. I choose to give that much of myself to no human being in either religion or politics. Doing so is what gave us people like David Koresh and Adolf Hitler! GOD and my wife are the only beings I truly trust (or care about their opinions of me). I'm sure that Dr Paul will have plenty of time to address any statements made either for or against him, but we at U08 do not need to attack each other, the other parties will do plenty of that when the time comes.
You were just making up those lies about Dr. Paul to save us from electing someone like a David Koresh or Adolph Hitler! His supporters are too enthusiastic and give too much of themselves backing his campaign. I didn't realize how dangerous that was. Usually when someone doesn't like a particular candidate they will attempt to expose the truth to others about the candidates stance(s) and how it makes them undesirable. However I see you use the Dem and GOP method of eliminating undesirable foes, lie through your teeth! I agree the politics of destruction have no place at U08 so let's do it differently here and not make up lies about candidates we personally dislike for whatever reason and when we put them down, do it with facts and not lies! This will go a long way toward demonstrating that U08 is not like the other parties.
Who was responsible for 9/11?
Who was responsible for World War I?
Go ahead, HC... give people the "facts" on the above subjects.
You spread more crap on this forum than any ten other people...
Jeff C
leikec@yahoo.com
It is exactly what I expected from you monzo! If you can't argue the facts attack the messenger!
Here you go, argue these a while>
By Patrick Grimm
1. They have destroyed our pride in our history, and a nation that loses its sense of history soon ceases to be a nation.
2. They have labeled our beloved Founding Fathers as “racists” and “white slavers”, ignoring the great representative republic that these men constructed.
3. They have promoted multiculturalism, celebrating every culture–no matter how backward and barbaric–except for Western white European culture. As Jewish Marxist intellectual thug Susan Sontag stated in a poisonous rant “The white race is the cancer of humanity.”
4. They have driven our Christian faith and heritage from the public square by utilizing their countless criminal cadres of ADL and ACLU Communist lawyers. Our children will soon grow up in a society wiped clean of any vestiges of the Bible, Christ or the cross. However, the menorah is still allowed in the White House for Hannukah celebrations.
5. They have torn our borders open, permitting, indeed cheering, the Third World dregs who will soon replace us as the majority. The Javitzes, the Lautenbergs and Cellers meticulously designed the legislation that will genocide us. They have done all this while simultaneously–and with no sense of irony–supporting Israel’s “Jews-only” immigration policy.
6. They have pushed, created and profited from pornography and perverse entertainment. The “Chosen” make up 90% of all American pornographers. The Hollywood they run has mainstreamed wife-swapping, common law marriages, pedophilia, scatology, licentious sex, drug and alcohol abuse and self-indulgence. Bestiality will be next on the list.
7. They have brought homosexuality out of the closet and into our faces. Sodomy is shown in their media and movies as normal, healthy, enjoyable and something to celebrate openly in as brazen a fashion as possible. They have founded, funded and fronted every homosexual advocacy group in America.
8. They have brainwashed our children. With their control of the institutes of “higher” learning, they have filled the minds of the young with Marxism, Deconstructionism, relativism, anti-White self-hatred and lies about “diversity” and non-judgmentalism. These sundry “isms” are the pernicious lies that have jettisoned the positive “isms” that once bloomed in our society: patriotism, altruism, individualism, nationalism, etc.
9. They have subverted our government. With Zionist control of media, both print and television, the two major political parties and the highest echelons of government, our foreign and domestic policy has been steered away from the interests of the European-American majority, rendering us incapable of self-preservation. The war in Iraq, the 9/11 attacks and a possible clash with Iran in the near future, are all results of the Zionist subjugation of the most powerful nation on earth, and the prioritizing of Israel’s concerns over those of the United States.
10. They have force-fed the propaganda of radical feminism to American women and girls. Thanks to the steady diet of anti-male, anti-marriage and anti-family books, lectures and college courses from the likes of the Steinems, the Friedans and the Abzugs, many women now see the prospect of marriage and child-rearing as an impediment to their liberation.
11. They have made abortion into a sacrament. Planned Parenthood, the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) and every other leftist pro-abortion promoter and provider in America is run from top to bottom by “the Chosen”. Unlimited and unregulated abortion on demand is lauded and touted in the controlled media as a positive social good for the United States. Twenty-four years after Roe v. Wade and with over 40 million abortions under their belts, these same groups still cheer and applaud for more. And with most abortion rights organizations top-heavy with Jews and a large percentage of abortion doctors also being Jewish, they have definitely made a killing out of killing.
12. They have sold us the packaged and deliberate lies of egalitarianism. All races are equal in intelligence, morality, accomplishments and potential, except of course, for one. The Jewish “race”, as their own leaders refer to their people, is declared by Jewish anthropologists to be “superior.” Jews are seen as uniquely intelligent, uniquely moral and a group that stands above all other groups in its supremacy. They truly believe they have a God-given right to rule over us. To criticize their pernicious power is the most egregious societal taboo.
And on and on it goes. Everything on this list can be easily verified. Jews, mostly Zionist in nature, have spearheaded every movement or cause that now threatens our destruction. And now the leviathan of Zionism and Talmudic Judaism extends its tentacles into every facet of our country and indeed into almost every other nation and culture residing upon the earth. With its expansion comes the debauching of all peoples, all heritages and all traditions. What will we do to stop it? Will we fear and quake before the strawmen buzzwords of “anti-Semite” and “hater”, or will we stand and battle for the survival of civilization? It is up to all of us, Christians of both the right and the left, moderate Muslims who eschew violence, anti-Zionist Jews of conscience and indeed people of no particular religious persuasion. We must rage against the dying of the light, but that is not enough. All of us must kick at the evil and the darkness of Zionism until it bleeds daylight.
So how do we "solve" these problems, HC? What is your "final" solution?
By the way; your post is spam - you should learn to construct your own arguments instead of copying from the internet...
Keep blaming the Jews, HC. That way you have somebody else to blame for your pathetic little life.
Jeff C
leikec@yahoo.com
...I am not sure you are. But your knowledge of the political nuances between a Libertarian and a Republican is apparently lacking. To set the record straight, if I may; most Republicans have no philosophical differences with any Lockean Libertarian. So changing from the Libertarian Party to the Republican Party would not require any profound political changes, either way, and would most certainly not represent the political hypocrisy of a democrat who is a RINO, or vis versa, as your post suggests.
For what it's worth, I, too, would not consider Ron Paul a viable Unity08 candidate because he has stated he will not run if not nominated by his party. And Ron Paul, if he is nothing else, is a man of his word.
ex animo
davidfarrar
If we are to take our country back it is imperative that we elect no more members of the CFR to any office.
If one group is effectively in control of our government and multinational corporations; promotes world government through control of media, foundation grants, and education; and controls and guides the issues of the day; then they control most of the options available. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and the financial powers behind it, have done all these things, and promote the "New World Order," as they have for over seventy years. - William Blase.
The Democrat CFR Members:
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Christopher Dodd, Bill Richardson
I am getting info on which GOP candidates are members of the CFR. I think all the "top tier" candidates are.
I think we are too late and too far behind. No one is going to buy us in 08.
We need to nominate our candidates for 2024 no later than 2024. I have posted elsewhere on details.
Although people say Obama is a liberal, I have read the issues pages of all of the candidates and Obama seemed best. I watched his "naive and inexperience" and I don't agree he is naive and inexperienced. I have watched the news media lie about all the candidates. I have watched every news story spun to create controversy and confusion rather than to inform. I have taken matters into my own hands. Obama's speeches convinced me to look further. I even bought his book "Audacity of Hope". For me, I see a fairly moderate balanced view on all of the major issues AND someone who is very willing to listen to the opposition and come to compromise.
I will be voting for Obama in the primaries. If you have not yet done so, carefully read the "issues" on all the candidate web sites. Then you decide for yourself. Good luck. And let' get organized for 2024. Forget about 2024 Unity candidates unless our candidates are selected by Jan 1, 2024.
Just remember to save your vote for the Unity08 Ticket in the general election.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
I do share your concerns, but then I step back and just look at the bigger picture. For the vast majority of our society, choosing who they will vote for is like going to the dentist: you know it's important, but you put it off until you have to deal with it
Such is politics in America, or anywhere for that matter. There's a few of us that really are into it early on, but most just aren't. They of course can't avoid hearing about the candidates, but they really don't get into it until later. As an added benefit, people are going to be very sick and tired of those big names by then. They will at a minimum be quite willing to consider someone else.
The game for now is to keep building that advocate base. The real Unity08 movement will be starting at the end of this year when the site becomes truly collaborative. This is still preseason.
-GP (gp.in.minnesota@gmail.com)
Join the Unity08 Delegate wiki today! http://www.unity-usa.org
To lock candidates in for 2 years would not be wise. Issues and politics change too fast and such a lock would leave us in the dust. People are already ticked off at having the primaries so early where the candidates are set 8 months before the election. 2 years would be the height of folly. I say the later the better. And July of the election year is whenthe final decision should be made on a slate.
We at Unity need to take care of business in 2024 and THAT will dictate what happens with Unity beyond. The Unity leadership is not intent on perpetuating the Unity gig beyond 2024 but things happen in politics and nothing succeeds like success. If Unity is anywhere halfway near a success then this will go on and develope into a Movement from the center if we do our due diligence in 2024 regarding 1) the relevant nation-buster Issues, 2) selection of decent moderate centrist competent electable Candidates, 3) effective Branding and forming coalitions with other centrist moderate people and groups out there who are up to their keisters with the prersent sad state of the 2 Parties and their shamelsss pandering to their bases and the K Street heavies who really run this town DC. Issues- Candidates- Branding MUST work together to get any halfway success to carry this thing on beyond 2024.
And if things break right and the 2 parties remain true to form and their pandering is revealed for all to see, THEN maybe we have shot at making a REAL difference in 2024. But as with all politics in this town it will be a crap shoot and we need to take our best shot at it. I think Obama has a nice touch and is more moderate than he initially lets on. But I still think we need somebody at the helm who knows his way around Washington and has an intuitive sense on how Washington and the world really works. I really do not think Barack is there yet but may someday be. His heartsring-pulling oratorical skills are superb for sure, but I like Governors esp those who know how Washington really works. We do not need any Babes in the Woods in the next election cycle with all the nation-buster issues impinging. But we need somebody who knows where the bodies are buried and CAN get things done in the middle! Policy and promulgations are all good and fine, but it's implementation (and knowkledge on how to) that is the real proof of the pudding. Implementation is 95% of the game!!
DC - 3rd ward - milligansstew08@yahoo.com
http://milligansstew.blogspot.com
i disagree somewhat john. first off a man as smart as obama would surround himself (i assume) with the smartest, brightest, most experienced advisers.
the opposite of our current president. also perhaps at this time in history we need someone who is not entrenched in the game we call washington politics. i see your side but i think maybe ( i might be naive here) that not knowing his way around washington, as you put it, might be a good thing
as long as people around him do.
i am not endorsing obama but i am looking at him with open mind.
Charisma can surround itself with Experience in a way that can be far more effective than can Experience surround itself with Charisma, IMHO. I will take a smart fresh face that understands the need for seasoned dissenting advisors over an experienced/entrenched Bush that avoids dissenting advice any day of the week.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
Senator Evan Bayh endorses Hillary Clinton (article). Senator Bayh (my candidate) is a moderate Democrat whose support for Hillary Clinton gives her more credibility with moderates. I think we can now absolutely scratch him off the list of potential candidates.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
I recently posted in Agenda/Platform that only Ron Paul among the current GOP contenders would be credible and willing to be on a Unity08 ticket. After watching the Tavis Smiley show tonight, I would enthusiastically add Jack Kemp to the list of Republican possibilities. Kemp took to task the four Republican front-runners (Giuliani, Romney, Thompson and McCain) for refusing to take part in this Thursday's debate on PBS moderated by Smiley and geared toward minority issues. Kemp rightly pointed out that the Republican Party risks looking extremist by rebuffing racial minorities. He was quite eloquent and is the kind of Republican who can attract moderate Democrats and Republicans to a Unity08 ticket.
Sam Nunn & Michael Bloomberg would buy into and Fight For Our New American Agenda - so Would Newt Gingrich & Barak Obama ..
HOW SO ?? The Track Records of Nunn and Bloomberg, their respective Qualifications, their demonstrated beliefs and abilities MAKE A PERFECT COMBINATION FOR THE TASK AHEAD ..
Gingrich and Obama - the perfect blend of proven intelligence and skill - ideals and charisma, bi-partisanship at the most advantageous level .. a tangible program of Bi-Partisan "Solutions" already available implemented and widely supported ..
Either of these TWO CAN BEAT ANYTHING ELSE IN THE MIX ..
WHY SHOULD THEY BE INTERESTED IN UNITY08 ?? !!
The Democrats & Republicans ARE TIED TO AGENDAS THAT CANNOT GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED ...
Transparency, Public Access/Oversight, Elimination of Political Gridlock, Partisanship & Pandering To Special Interests - it's a matter of Public Record that Campaign Promises Of Candidates Get Overridden By Party Agendas once they are Elected ..
The Task Ahead Requires A Ticket Willing and Able To Fight For "A PEOPLES AGENDA" - and that's THE ONE UNITY08 IS BUILDING - RIGHT NOW !!
AGENDA and Candidates The People Know Can and Will Make It Work THAT's WHAT WILL WIN THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2024 and THE NECESSARY PUBLIC SUPPORT TO INFLUENCE CONGRESS IN 2024 and BEYOND !!
It's a recognized fact - that all 4 Men Love Their Country, each in their own way have demonstrated THEY HAVE WHAT IT HELP TURN THIS COUNTRY AROUND AND CARRY IT ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS - FOR AMERICA and People Of Goodwill Throughout The World !!
Either Team would be FINE WITH ME - AS THE NEXT LEADERS ON AMERICA !!
Bloomberg can learn from NUNN, NUNN can Learn From Bloomberg ..
Obama can learn from Gingrich, Gingrich can learn from Obama ..
FINAL COMMENT :
Love for and Dedication To One's COUNTRY is supposed to be the most prized and worthy attribute of Anyone Aspiring to Public Service : if this be the case - each of these individuals Should Be Willing To Set Aside Their Personal Ambitions and Goals, AND DO THAT WHICH BEST SERVES AMERICA, ITS CITIZENS & PEOPLE OF GOODWILL WHERE ERE THEY BE.
My word - what say you
pete(popo)evans
popo i wont get into the gingrich debate, you and i have already been there.
but let me say with due respect i doubt that gingrich or obama will leave their party. just my opinion. i also think that might be a sticking point for unity down the road, by which i mean getting two decent candidates to leave their respective parties. ultimately that might be our biggest hurdle.
I think having one conservative and one liberal fits the rules of Unity '08, but not in spirit.
Obama is a good speaker, Paul motivates people, Bloomberg is a true independent voice.
IMO, Unity should elect 2 moderates rather than trying to marry the extremes.
Hagel is an example of a moderate I think, generally conservative but will use his brain if Republicans get goofy. There are plenty of others.
But I'm wondering why even the smartest shoutbox people are drawn to the extreme candidates? They are more exciting maybe.
Kim, I tend to agree. Candidate appeal to the greater middle of the general electorate body is what will get the Unity08 Ticket elected. While people may disagree about whether specific candidates are moderate, we can probably agree about the perception that some candidates are more extreme.
If one listens to Newt Gingrich, his current project and workshops around America to search for solutions to problems is a good gesture to get people started on the path to discussion and finding answers. It makes sense to discuss the issues at the grassroots level. However, once you get Gingrich to propose his own answers to specific issues he always reveals his extreme rightest bent.
While I can agree with Pete that we need qualified and principled people in government, I think we have to be careful about the people we choose. I believe Gingrich is principled but, I also have seen nothing to suggest that he can keep his ideology separate from the process.
Phil
Been to the Unity08 Delegate wiki lately? Join today!http://unity-usa.org
Lets uncorrupt our government!
...."But I'm wondering why even the smartest shoutbox people are drawn to the extreme candidates? They are more exciting maybe."
Quoting Kim, here. I give you a vote for a good star, Kim
Anyway, just like our kids are being daily-dosed with consumerism, sex, violence, (you name it).... we ourselves, adults, have or are (or they want us to be) brainwashed in a manner of speaking. Like, what do you see when you turn on the tube or go visit a website? You see somebody talking hate and disgust for a member of one of the political parties, or you see somebody talking or showing how dumb a political party is or a member of a pol party is dumb, and it is on and on like coming upon a car crash, you just can't help slowing or stopping and taking a look at the wreckage and you know what I mean. We get caught up in this hysteria of politics from the last 10 or 12 years, like the "blue dress" and watch in amazement when clinton shuts down the government during that period and then watch in amazement when bush "wins" the whitehouse and like one sage said, in January 2024; "How can they do that? because they can...."
Davey K. in Florida