Something seems odd. Maybe it is just my own impatience but it feels like we should be further along in the 2012 presidential cycle by now. Admittedly, it is still over a year before the American electorate makes their choice, but I thought that by now we would have a better picture of how things were going to go.
We do know (utterly unsurprisingly) that Barack Obama will be running for re-election. It also appears as though he will do so unchallenged at the Democratic primaries. Opinion is divided among the political left about whether or not this is a good thing. Personally, while I do not think that Obama should be officially challenged in the primaries, the more left-leaning members of the Democratic party should be more vocal in their criticism. A primary challenge at this stage would do more harm than good. The elected Democrats need to develop a backbone (If they want to know how, maybe Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont could give them a few tips).
As for the Republican ticket, they need a nominee and yet their field of possibilities is weak to put it at its mildest. They have Newt Gingrich (the face of the GOP from the 90s) officially running, Mitt Romney (former Governor of Massachusetts), Tim Pawlenty (former Governor of Minnesota) and Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania (if you have a moment and are not at work, just Google "santorum") all as potential nominees. Those are just some of the more serious candidates (but considering that we are talking about the GOP that description seems hardly appropriate).
There are still outsider candidates being talked about. Some because they are relatively unknown and others because they should be considered dangerous morons. One of the unknowns is Herman Cain, CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He actually performed admirably in the first GOP debate according to the Fox News panel (take that information with as much salt as you feel is necessary), and could make for an interesting primary season.
As for the dangerous moron wing of the Republican party, we have Michele Bachmann (who I have discussed previously) and Sarah Palin, who is apparently laying the ground work for a run at the White House. Neither of these candidates should be given any control of the most powerful nation on Earth. The fact that they are both Tea-partying, climate change deniers who refuse to accept the secular origin of the United States should really stop them from being taken seriously at all. Sadly, in the modern day Republican party these are seen as assets rather than hindrances.
The biggest problem the Republicans have is that none of the listed candidates really come across as a strong challenger for Obama. I would have said that former Governor Mike Huckabee would have been their strongest bet, but he has decided not to run this time around.
Obama has all the advantages at this point. He is the incumbent. He got most (but not all) American troops out of Iraq and was the president responsible for the killing of Osama bin Laden. The Republican who emerges from this very wide field of possible candidates has a tall order ahead of them. It will make the primary and general election seasons very interesting. I just wish things would get going.
Yes, I am one of those annoying people who loves elections; especially in the United States.
We do know (utterly unsurprisingly) that Barack Obama will be running for re-election. It also appears as though he will do so unchallenged at the Democratic primaries. Opinion is divided among the political left about whether or not this is a good thing. Personally, while I do not think that Obama should be officially challenged in the primaries, the more left-leaning members of the Democratic party should be more vocal in their criticism. A primary challenge at this stage would do more harm than good. The elected Democrats need to develop a backbone (If they want to know how, maybe Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont could give them a few tips).
As for the Republican ticket, they need a nominee and yet their field of possibilities is weak to put it at its mildest. They have Newt Gingrich (the face of the GOP from the 90s) officially running, Mitt Romney (former Governor of Massachusetts), Tim Pawlenty (former Governor of Minnesota) and Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania (if you have a moment and are not at work, just Google "santorum") all as potential nominees. Those are just some of the more serious candidates (but considering that we are talking about the GOP that description seems hardly appropriate).
There are still outsider candidates being talked about. Some because they are relatively unknown and others because they should be considered dangerous morons. One of the unknowns is Herman Cain, CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He actually performed admirably in the first GOP debate according to the Fox News panel (take that information with as much salt as you feel is necessary), and could make for an interesting primary season.
As for the dangerous moron wing of the Republican party, we have Michele Bachmann (who I have discussed previously) and Sarah Palin, who is apparently laying the ground work for a run at the White House. Neither of these candidates should be given any control of the most powerful nation on Earth. The fact that they are both Tea-partying, climate change deniers who refuse to accept the secular origin of the United States should really stop them from being taken seriously at all. Sadly, in the modern day Republican party these are seen as assets rather than hindrances.
The biggest problem the Republicans have is that none of the listed candidates really come across as a strong challenger for Obama. I would have said that former Governor Mike Huckabee would have been their strongest bet, but he has decided not to run this time around.
Obama has all the advantages at this point. He is the incumbent. He got most (but not all) American troops out of Iraq and was the president responsible for the killing of Osama bin Laden. The Republican who emerges from this very wide field of possible candidates has a tall order ahead of them. It will make the primary and general election seasons very interesting. I just wish things would get going.
Yes, I am one of those annoying people who loves elections; especially in the United States.
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