Which of the currently declared candidates is not a divisive figure, nor likely to be one? Which is likeliest to unify the country?
Is that now what the American people will be looking for?
Historically has the tendency in America been to seek and elect a candidate who can be politick, can talk to and negotiate with all sides and understand their arguments and concerns? ( To this outsider that seems likely, if only because the way your country is governed almost predicates there being a president and two 'houses' which are not of the one party )
I don't know what the US is looking for, Fred. bush campaigned as a "uniter not a divider", and was elected twice. Yet the US is as divided as I've ever seen it, with most of it due to his actions. The apathy of the youth today is the only difference between the mood today and during Vietnam. (Of course, that is understandable; none of them are facing the draft.) Whoever wins the upcoming election will do so on a possibly vague promise to get us out of Iraq; whether he (or she) will act on that promise with any due speed may be another matter.
Of all the candidates who are considered really in the running, only Obama seems not to have much baggage that would work against him. However, appearing to be reasonable and appearing to listen to all sides of an issue are not the same as actually doing so. Unfortunately, I am not certain that the US will elect a black man to the presidency. (There is still a great deal of racism in the US. But that is another issue.) Note, too, that the only woman to be on a major ticket was in a certain-to-lose cause in 1984. (This may change this year with Hillary Clinton.)
Posts: 16635 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Interesting question, Fred. I don't know if his baggage is too heavy for an election, but folks have certainly rallied around Rudy Giuliani in times of crisis. DG may be right about the race issue for Obama; it seems that his racial identity is coming into question even among black Americans and he has recently trailed Hillary Clinton in polls among black voters.
Posts: 7619 | Location: in the backwoods of North Carolina | Registered: 06-07-02
I know he is a lawyer and that is probably disqualifying, but I'm liking what I'm hearing from John Edwards. I cannot imagine myself supporting a Republican after this last Bush administration and Edwards seems to be willing to suggest the unthinkable for a candidate; a tax increase to pay for universal health coverage and to get our combat forces out of Iraq.
Call me crazy but I like what he is saying. I cannot see how we can continue to run deficit budgets and yet pass tax breaks at the same time. The new Bush budget claiming to end deficit spending in 5-years is just not possible and I believe it is unrealistic. Our veterans will need continued (and increasing) financial support for years to come and the baby boomer generation (which includes me) will soon be drawing on Medicaid. Our Army and Marine Corps needs to be re-equipped and new military personnel trained. Taxes have to be increased to pay for all of this, yet politicians just will not face up to that fact and tell voters the truth. Edwards has said it and I like the fact that he is honest about it.
His comments about our troops in Iraq seem to be well reasoned; he knows that we cannot pull out all troops and just leave the Iraqis, so he is talking about a pull back and gradual stand down. At the same time he is willing to give diplomacy a chance and I like that idea. More a chief diplomat than a Commander-in-Chief.
Dwight
Dwight
Posts: 4288 | Location: Anchorage, AK | Registered: 06-05-02
When people with PH D's in chemistry have to start drawing on Medicaid in the near future, Dwight - we're in bigger trouble than I thought possible! Say it isn't so!
I wouldn't be surprised if, after Hillary and Obama have become yesterday's newspaper, people like Edwards and even Al Gore begin to be appreciated for their ability to tell the unpleasant truth. A refreshing change! Even Giuliani, with all his baggage could pick up as much in the way of moderate democrats as he will lose among the religious right. A lot depends, though upon who is running against whom. There are an awful lot of women voters in this country, more than men, and we are ready for either a black OR a woman president. IMHO.
This country will never be unified. There's too much racism, religion, and politics. (how ironic). Some MAJOR catastrophe will have to happen before people (the survivors) will become reasonable and unite for the sole cause of existence.
My opinion? The next president will be a white male democrat.
