What was the big disaster that set up the winner of the 2000 election to fail? I’m not a Clinton superfan, but in 2000, we had a budget surplus, were not explicitly involved in any wars, had 2 fewer right-wing supreme court justices, etc. I understand the idea is out there that “there’s no difference between Bush and Gore,” but that is not the type of argument I’m making.

I think there are plenty of differences between Obama/Clinton and McCain. I’m just saying that the next president is going to be limited to 1 term due to circumstances beyond her/his control. This will swing the pendulum back, hard, to the losers of the 2008 election.

I think the Republicans know this, and that’s why Frist, Jeb Bush, or any of the Rove-ian crew aren’t running. They’re sitting this one out because whoever’s next is not going to be there long.

I’m voting for Obama either way, though. I’m just going to feel less bad when the Democrats lose this election.

And this would be different from the slaughter of Iraqis that began after we invaded Iraq how?

Strange, no one wants to talk about what’s happened to the Iraqi Christian minority under the American occupation…

Do you know, that is word for word what I said to myself back when it was Bush vs. Gore? I was right, too. I can’t repeat that enough–I was right. I thought to myself, whoever is president is going to be a disaster, and as a Democrat, I don’t want a Democrat associated with disaster. It made sense, you know? And I was right.

And here you are, eight years later, saying this.

This kind of thinking is dangerous, but ultimately just sad and stupid. And I say that as someone who fell victim to it once upon a time eight years ago. It might seem like losing on purpose and pretending to be crafty about it is less humiliating than doing our best to win and still losing, but it’s not. It’s worse in every way, and it’s never ever going to work. People have had your bright idea before, and look at us now.

Here are just 2 examples:
After Koch, a conservative Democrat, left office, he handed David Dinkins a huge mess called New York City. Dinkins did his best with what he had, but he had to enact some very unpopular measures and was voted out after 1 term. He was followed by 2 terms of Giuliani, who was followed by 2 terms of Bloomberg.

Similar things happened with the NJ governorship. Tom Kean handed Jim Florio a mess in 1990. Florio tried to restructure the tax system for more equitable funding of schools, appointed a state prosecutor for environmental damage, etc., and got kicked out after 1 terms, to be followed by Christine Todd Whitman, who is not *so* terrible, but who testified that post-9/11 air quality posed no threat.

So I’m saying this: The next president will probably only serve 1 term. The party that loses the presidency in 2008 will win it in 2012 and 2016. So, while I don’t want anyone to get screwed over, getting a little screwed for 4 years (2008-2012) is better than getting *really* screwed for 8 years.

I’ve been a long time reader and infrequent poster, but I’ve got to say something here.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/national.html

McCain v. Clinton is frightening. I wouldn’t count on her, even with Mike Ditka as her running mate. The Clinton Smear Machine was never really put on mothballs.

Listen to Mermade. You were a mentor to her, but it’s time for the teacher to listen to the pupil.

Mermade, it makes me feel old when you say “nearly half my life,” and it sort of freaks me out to have voted for a presidential candidate younger than me, but it’s incredibly encouraging to see how many young adults are inspired by Obama, as well as believing they can make a difference. I remember where I was when I heard President Kennedy was shot, so when I heard that Caroline Kennedy (Good Lord..she’s all grown up - only a couple years younger than me!) was endorsing Obama, I thought: “Another Torch, Another Generation.” I’ve voted since 1972, and have never been close to shedding tears of joy, relief, and pride as I was this week after voting for Obama.

Hugo, maybe I should realize that you have just one vote, but I hope you’ll ask your Millions of Minions who have yet to vote in their primary to vote for Obama. The Future of Humanity and the Destiny of Planet Earth depends on it.

That’s why the media and the left have been pushing him so hard. They can treat him decently and as a “man of honor” because they know that he has no chance. (though I’d expect to start hearing noises about the “Keating 5″ and about his temper from the NY Times and the other usual suspects right after the convention) Those dems, leftists and “independents” supporting him for the nomination will be pulling the lever for Hillary or Obama come November.

Incidentally, on the environment, he proves his point that he really doesn ‘t know much about the economy, given that he’s prepared to permanently hobble it and cede economic superpower status to Kyoto-free China and India (if you believe that either of those countries will ever accept being classified as “developed nations” under Kyoto, I got a nice bridge you should take a look at).