It is only a short time before the caucusses & primaries begin. Some very interesting developments already taking place in both parties.

So who is going down & who will survive???

Follow the money...

'The candidates’ third quarter reports, released in mid-October, showed that Hillary had raised $90.9 million. That exceeds her $75 million goal for 2007, the Center for Responsive Politics points out, noting that Hillary is asking her big donors, the “Hillraisers,” to come up with $1 million a piece—ten times what George W. Bush asked his elite donors, the Pioneers, to pony up. Barack Obama is running second to Hillary, at $80.2 million, while Mitt Romney has raised $62.8 million and Rudy Giuliani is at $47.3 million.' www.progressive.org

Though triple n is probably right, wouldn't it be nice to see two candidates with tremendous grassroots support? Mike Huckabee is making an interesting charge. Edwards might be able to do the same but I think his name might be forgotten as the Obama and Clinton camps plaster the airwaves to win the all-important first primaries.

How does the system work? American commentators have been saying that Rudy Giuliani is pleased if Huckabee successfully attacks other candidates, because Huckabee hasn't got the funding to fight a national campaign, so is not a threat to Rudy, and that all makes Rudy's job easier.

How come? If Huckabee starts to rocket up the polls will he then find that the funding comes in or is he ever destined to lose for lack of funds?

It seems odd if any candidate could be the best and most popular but not be chosen simply because he hadn't got enough money behind him ! Or is that the American way?

(Confusing because, as you know, Britain runs everything, including politics, on the cheap!)

quote:

It seems odd if any candidate could be the best and most popular but not be chosen

Not very bloody likely, Fred. We always manage to elect the best man for the job. Witness the last two presidential elections.

frank, the scarier thought is that we may have elected the best available major party candidate in the last two elections.

Our process may not compel the best among us to challenge for the office.

For the last four years, it has appeared Hillary was a shoo-in for the Democrat nomination. Now she appears vulnerable. Especially when Bill tags along & makes speeches that may very well hurt more than help her chances. Barack Obama seems to be giving her a run for her money.

The Republicans have never had a solid front runner though many considered Rudy to be it. Right now Mike Huckabee appears to be coming on strong in Iowa. But I just cannot see him going very far past that. To me the Republican nomination is still wide open.

I'm afraid 'fuse is right again. We elect presidents the same way we buy everything; the most heavily financed and advertised, like Walmart. I think anyone who actually wants the job badly enough to campaign for it, shouldn't be allowed to have it. We should draft people after careful and thorough vetting - volunteers need not apply!

How would endorsements of Obama by Kennedy, Kerry and Gore affect the Democratic race? These three may not be in step with the Clinton machine.

I think that someone who wins either Iowa or New Hampshire and then takes South Carolina is headed for the top of the ticket.

'As the electoral success of disparate figures from Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton bears out, likeability is vital in American politics.' Why Hillary won't win

Wouldn't a Huckabee - Obama race be refreshing? I enjoy hearing both of them speak, for different reasons.

I wonder if there was anything to Robert Novack's assertion that Clinton had some dirt on Obama. If Clinton loses as much ground in New Hampshire as she has in Iowa, she may start flinging it. I really hope not unless it is important and substantive.

quote:

Originally posted by coldfuse:
Wouldn't a Huckabee - Obama race be refreshing? I enjoy hearing both of them speak, for different reasons.

Seconded!

The big name candidates have sucked up so much oxygen, I'd like to hear more from the lower tier candidates that we normally don't hear a lot about.

As it stands now, Mike Huckabee & Barack Obama are the Iowa winners. Will be interesting to see if they can build their campaigns on this win or if they have a rocky road ahead of them.