Obama may run for president

If Obama's ever going to run, it's got to be now. As some else pointed out, if he waits and a Dem wins in '08, he can't run in 2012. If a Republican wins in '08 the Dems are done as a party and he'd have a near-impossible time beating an incumbent in 2012.

He'd be 55 in 2016, which isn't old but he wouldn't be the flavor of the month by then either. It's now or never.

Hilary's problem isn't that a woman can't elected. Hilary's problem is that Hilary can't get elected.

 

What if Hillary has pushed Obama into this? Maybe as a trial balloon to see if he would fit in as Veep. If so, the ticket would lock up the entire Midwest and with the west coast and northeast, the Dems win easily in '08.
Something to think about.

 

I can't see him being willing to spend eight years as somebody else's caddy.

 

Reverse the two, and it's something to think about. Hillary would give the White House the experience Obama lacks, but she'd never stand being the second fiddle to another president. Plus, I don't want her back in the White House.

 

My wife (who is totally non-political) and I were watching the news last night and the Obama story came on. Her first reaction to seeing him and hearing his name?

"Don't you have to be an American to run for president?"

(She was serious)

While I explained to her that he was, indeed, an American citizen, I think she has a point. There's a sad but significant reason why we've never had a president with a last name ending in a, i or o.

 

Is it because no one with a last name ending in a, i or o has ever launched a significant campaign to become president?

 

Double J,

It's because we're still -- primarily -- an Anglo-Saxon country. That's why all of our presidents have had names of either British or German origin (the lone exception is Kennedy).

Our country is becoming more diverse, but it's not to a tipping point yet. At least not in terms of deciding national elections.

 

FWIW, panelist on Meet the Press said he was told by a Dem insider close to the Clintons that Hillary isn't running, Obama is. Hell, if he's on the ballot... GO OBAMA! Roll Tide! (oops, delete that last part...)

 

obama is the dem's top chance. he's so different than any other male candidate, it plays in his favor. it's like coaches in sports - in most cases, you replace the previous coach with someone who has the opposite personality. obama is the anti-bush and americans will like that. i've wanted him to run for president since i saw hiim at the democratic convention in '02 (in fact i started a post about this like a month ago), but i've always been skeptical about his electability. but the more i think about it, the more i think he has a great shot at winning. mccain might be the only republican unique enough to beat him (guiliani? forget about it). that would be a hell of an interesting showdown - obama/mccain. mccain might be yesterday's news though, i'm not sure

 

When you make the opening of your library into a rock concert, throw a hissy fit with an interviewer who doesn't want to spend all his time kissing ass about your global initiative and on and on, you become a cartoon character.

 

And that's why I wonder, Hack, if this country is ready to vote for a bi-racial candidate with an African name (Barack Obama Jr., son of a Kenyan man and a white woman from Kansas).

 

I would laugh when I see the day Kansas' six electoral college votes go to a Democrat, but that's beside the point. This is the time. To paraphrase Chris Rock from years ago -- the best golfer in the world is black, and the best rapper in the world is white. So why not a black president?