H/T to Nice Deb at AOSHQ, for the link to this well written article by Bill Kristol at The Weekly Standard:
The Democratic nominee looks likely to be either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Hillary is furiously triangulating (it’s a family tradition), criticizing Obama for saying he’d meet with the Iranian mullahs and then saying she would, voting for a hawkish resolution on Iran then cosponsoring a dovish one. But even Bill’s triangulation got him only 43 percent of the vote in 1992 and 49 percent in 1996–and in terms of political skills, Hillary’s no Bill. Obama, for his part, seems no more experienced in dealing with serious affairs of state than Jimmy Carter did in 1975. Obama could conceivably follow in Carter’s footsteps and get the nomination–but America learns from her mistakes.
NiceDeb provides the link to this video which has been Google’s top ranked video for three days in a row, (Oct. 10-12). She makes a valid point that the fundraising scandal hasn’t even begun to open up yet!
Here’s what’s likely to happen: When the nominees are selected next year, the Republican will be behind–just as the GOP nominee trailed, at various times, in the 1980, 1988, 2000, and 2004 campaigns. Then the Republican will rally and probably win. Look to 1988 for a model: a tired, two-term presidency, a newly invigorated Democratic Congress causing all
kinds of problems for the administration, an intelligent, allegedly centrist Democratic nominee, and a bruising Republican primary with lots of unhappiness about the field of candidates. This resulted in a 17-point early lead for Michael Dukakis over George H.W. Bush, but an eventual Republican victory. True, the current Republican incumbent, George W. Bush, isn’t Ronald Reagan. And the 2008 Republican nominee is going to have to chart his own path to victory. It will be a challenge. But it’s a healthy one. Let McCain, Giuliani, Thompson, and Romney have at it. The competition will be good for them and good for the party, ensuring that the winner will be up to the task both of winning the presidency and leading the country.
And rally we will! There is too much at stake for this nation for us not to fight for all the open seats in the House, Senate and Whitehouse!
Obama, for his part, seems no more experienced in dealing with serious affairs of state than Jimmy Carter did in 1975. Obama could conceivably follow in Carter’s footsteps and get the nomination–but America learns from her mistakes.
I wouldn’t bet that America learns from its mistakes. There are people in this country who actually think Jimmy Carter was a good president. He did more to destroy this country than any president in the last century.