2008 Presidential Candidates Testing Waters

Newsmax ^ | 2/28/05

[areafiftyone]

The 2004 presidential election just ended, and with President Bush re-inaugurated scarcely a month ago, is it possible that contenders are already vying for the 2008 race?

Unfortunately, yes.

The Washington Post reports in Sunday editions that the first official-unofficial "cattle call" campaign event took place this weekend in Washington, D.C., at a meeting of the National Governors Association.

No fewer than 15 of 50 state governors from the two major parties are considering a run at the Oval Office, the paper reported.

Both parties, it seems, "have learned the benefits of nominating a governor" instead of Washington lawmakers, adds the Post, noting Sen. John Kerry's defeat "extended a losing streak for sitting legislators that has been going since John F. Kennedy's 1960 election."

Here's the field of potential candidates the paper vetted:

Republicans

• Arnold Schwarzenegger of California. He has an early, wide lead over potential gubernatorial challengers, but he can't become president unless, or until, lawmakers repeal a constitutional provision which mandates only natural-born citizens can run for the Oval Office.

• George Pataki of New York. He will face a tough prospective opponent in former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has soared high in public opinion polls (and in the GOP) since his PR bonanza in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

• Jeb Bush of Florida. He has said he won't run, but, the Post reported, "many hope he'll break his promise. ..."

• Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. An enigma in his own right, he has managed to become a Republican governor in a staunch Democratic stronghold dominated for decades by the Kennedys.

• Haley Barbour of Mississippi. This former Republican National Committee chairman is likely very familiar with the inner workings of the GOP "machine," which probably gives him an advantage. That may not translate into public support, however.

• Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. More popular and honest than the last Arkansa governor to serve in the White House, Huckabee is also a true blue Reagan conservative.

• Mark Sanford of South Carolina. He may not join the battle if friend Sen. John McCain of Arizona runs, the Post reported.

• Bill Owens of Colorado. He suffered a potential setback this past election when Democrats won key victories in his state.

  Democrats

• Tom Vilsack of Iowa. He is reportedly an early favorite to win one of the nation's first presidential caucuses, which is held in his state, the Post says.

• Phil Bredesen of Tennessee. Unlike former Vice President Al Gore, Bredesen may actually win his state if he runs, says the Post.

• Bill Richardson of New Mexico. An amiable and likable guy, he may not get much traction because of the loss of some nuclear weapons-related data during his tenure at the Energy Department under Clinton.

• Jennifer Granholm of Michigan. Like Schwarzenegger, she's not from here. She's Canadian and until the Constitution is changed, she can't run.

• Janet Napolitano of Arizona. An enigma in her own right, she's a Democratic governor in what is arguably one of the reddest of "red" GOP states. That may be to her disadvantage.

• Rod Blagojevich of Illinois. "His home state may be too blue to matter," says the Post.

[deport]

None seem to stand out at this time to me either.. The Republican Governors Association has a list of them .. http://www.rga.org/ many of which get little or no publicity it seems.

The Republicans maybe like the democrats of 2004... It may take a tour bus to move them around to events in the first few primary states...

[areafiftyone]

None seem to stand out at this time to me either

Glad to hear you say that - I thought it was just me. After Bush/Cheney its going to be hard to top that. I am sooo afraid that 2008 might be a Democrat year!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Nice but too original looking. I want it low with big tires, custom rims, bright yellow with flames, chopped and channeled cab.

[My GOP]

Forget about the governors, my thinking is more along the lines of a former mayor.