Obama in '08

... what do you think?

Too soon. He's just been elected to the Senate, he would suffer the same problems as Edwards did, not enough experience, and too young.

However he would be a helluva orator and could probably speak very well to a Democratic message without sounding like a crackpot liberal. I'd peg him more for a run in 2012 or 2016 depending on who runs in '08 for the Dems and Republicans.

Fair enough.�� You're probably being more realistic than me.

I disagree. I think the Dems need to make a very bold move in '08. They need a candidate that people can actually get excited about. From what I've seen of Obama, he's on the right side of most issues, and he's actually... a likable person. *gasp* For better or worse, Kerry would have easily won if he was a likable person.

He's likeable, he's a real family man, he has excellent hands-on experience, and he's Clinton's equal or better as a speaker.� And that's saying something, coming from me.

oh, good god, i agree with starfox. :)

obama kicks ass. i'm proud to say i've gotten to vote for him twice now (in november, and in the primary). but as a friend of mine said, i want him to have a long career--and he's going to need to build up his experience in the senate first.

But what experience? I don't think there's much in the way of real-life experience that you can get before becoming the President. It's a one-of-a-kind job. Sure, you need to have amazing multitasking and organizational skills, work well with people, and be smart as a cookie, but most people either have these skills or they don't.

The American people have showed their willingness to vote, twice, for someone with hardly any experience.

I like him, but if he runs for president, I'll have to pre-emptively leave the country, because he cannot possibly win in 2008.

The Democrats need to run someone who can win southern states. And they need someone who's not a senator, because a senate record, even one of just four years, is too easy to pick apart, because of the way the senate operates. That's why I like the idea of the Easley/Warner ticket.

Mike Easley was just re-elected as governor of North Carolina with 55% of the vote. If his second term goes well, he'll be in a good position to run for president.

Mark Warner will end his term as governor of Virginia next fall, and may challenge George Allen for his senate seat in 2006. He can't be accused by the Republicans of being a liberal, because he's quite moderate, especially on economic issues.

The last Democratic ticket to become president and vice president was a southern governor and a southern senator. It's a winning combination.

He impressed the hell out of me at the convention. His values are my values.

That being said I don't think he'd have a chance, there are still too many people in this country would not vote for a black. The country's loss.

Something tells me the racist vote isn't exactly going to swing to the Dems anyway.

But there are a LOT more "closet racists" than overt racists. Yes, there aren't really a lot of KKK sympathizers out there. But there are plenty of people who still wouldn't vote for a black candidate for a number of reasons. some, for the same reason they may have voted for Bush - that they identified more with him than Gore or Kerry.

It's sad, but true. Most white people would vote for a white candidate over a black one regardless of the issues, because they want to support someone like themselves. It's the same reason (among others) that a Jewish or atheist candidate would have difficulty running.

Um, if Powell had run in '96, he would have had broad support across the country. I don't think racism/bigotism, closetted or not is as important as political ideology. Clarence Thomas is well liked among conservative southerners.

You'd be suprised. A decent percentage of the people that voted for Wallace in 68 voted for McGovern in 72. People are complex and vote for many different reasons.

People also fool themselves. They might not overtly consider his race but they'll find themselves finding other faults in him that they would not consider if he were white.

I think California Senito Barbra Boxer (http://boxer.senate.gov/) has some serious potental, too. Omaba/Boxer 2008?

I'm hoping for Obama/Pengun.

But that's just me.

Pengon, however, would probally have a great run for President. I mean ever see Batman Returns?

Ok that is just ridiculous. How can we take you seriously when you suggest Pengun for VP? He's an expatriot living in Canada, he wouldn't have a chance. Not only that he is a King Penguin and we fought a revolution to get rid of kings for all time.

He may be an ex-pat, he may be a King Penguin.... but he's an Adeli Penguin at heart.

Or, if you ask him, a Squirtle.