Sec. Colin Powell (NY)-- Won't run. VP would be a step down from Sec. State.
Sen. Bill Frist (TN)-- Acceptable to base but comes across as too weak to make a good president. I like the guy but he doesn't seem to have the gut for the presidency. He has the air of a VP.
Gov. Jeb Bush (FL)-- Won't run, may run for Senate. People won't want to put the same family in a third time.
Sen. John McCain (AZ)-- If he survives the primaries will become president. Possibly the most popular politician in the US, even if he doesn't deserve the popularity. Is more conservative than many here give him credit for, even though I agree his chumminess with dems over republicans is annoying.
Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR)-- Maybe.
Gov. Mitt Romney (MA)--Strongly convservative with appeal to liberals. Would lock up the women's vote and has shown he can run against a Dem woman and win without being seen as a bully. He'd be the strongest candidate.
I would eliminate John McCain from consideration. Conventional wisdom may indicate that he's the "most popular politician in America," but that's really nothing more than media hype. He was the most popular politician in America as long as the media propped him up as an "anti-Bush" type of political personality, but this media love-fest will end the moment he gets a GOP nomination for President. In fact, I would guess he'd be lucky to get 45% of the popular vote against most Democrat candidates.
Should read, "if he survives". He's how old now? This won't be Reagan going for re-election. I can't see a septegenarian being elected to a first-term presidency.
Giuliani - Definite VP material. Won't want it, though. Will not get GOP nod, no way, no how. Too many cross-dressing pix in NY gay pride parade.
Powell - Will be as far away from politics as humanly possible. He'll have a well-deserved retirement.
Frist - You're spot on.
Jeb Bush - Never say never. But okay, I'll say "Bush fatigue" set in.
Mitt Romney - Nope. Not conservative. He's of the John Kerry "I'm personally against abortion...BUT" persuasion. He's also in favor of federally funding embryonic stem cell research.
It's going to be Bill Owens/Condi Rice in '08. Owens seems to fit the bill of consistency, courage, governing experience, and education. His affinity and experience in the study of Soviet history tells me he would get along swimmingly with Condoleeza Rice, who is also a Russo-phile.
Condoleeza's pro-choice stance will soften Owens' unabashedly pro-life Catholic makeup (the guy cut Colorado funding to Planned Parenthood clinics, for crying out loud! Now that takes ROCKS). Condi would continue to help the GOP gather in more of the black vote. Owens will attract more of the Catholic vote.
That's my bet:
Owens/Rice in 2008.
I'd think being from MA would be the kiss of death. VP maybe for Romney, but heck, what do I know. Gov.'s do well as candidates, and Romney is a dream candidate. He's no Kennedy and no Kerry. If, God forbid, he'd been in that car accident, he'd still be diving to get Mary Jo out, or drown trying. But he'd never fool around with a campaign aide or an intern. Period.