Old news, but still good news!

So, I continue with my Barack Obama infatuation. The more I read about him, the more I think that he's the guy this country needs. He's honest. He's candid. He's uniting, rather than polarizing. He's somehow able to be a contradiction, but still be genuine. He's my guy. I just hope the hype about him isn't too much too soon.

The most recent piece of information that I've discovered about him, isn't so new, but it's new to me. Apparently in late October, when he was asked about his drug use as a teenager and young adult, he was frank and candid about the fact that he's tried pot and cocaine. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/24/news/dems.php check it out. How refreshing is that! A politician who didn't try to spin his answer. He didn't try to hide it, or alter it at all. He didn't claim that he "didn't inhale." He gave us the honest-to-god truth, and expected us, as a nation, to be mature enough to handle it. THANK YOU BARACK OBAMA! I'm not sure how anyone in the opposing camps can spin this to look bad to the general population at all. He's proven to us as a nation that he's willing to be honest, even when the honest thing doesn't necessarily mean gumdrops and rainbows for his personal image. He's showing that he's relateable. Yes, he's made mistakes too, and look at how he's been able to grow from that.

I've spent a little time this morning reading about potential candidates for the 2008 election. Although we have a little less than two years before the elections, and at least a few more months before the campaign starts to heat up, its looking like this campaign season is going to be more interesting than anything we've seen in a while. Both Democrats and Republicans are putting up better candidates than this nation has seen in a while. Both parties seem to recognize the value of giving this nation a breath of fresh air from all the lying, pandering, and spinning that we've seen from the more recent elections. In the conservative camp, John McCain seems like he's the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. He caused a big stir in 2000, that burned out due to some unfortunate comments. He (like Obama) has been embraced by voters from both sides of the docket and his voting history has been consistent, with very little waffling.

Rudy Giuliani has also recently announced that he is taking the first steps to announcing a run for the presidency. Rudy's case is a very interesting one, since he considers himself a republican, but has historically supported some liberal causes, including supporting civil unions for same-sex partners, and voting against a ban on partial birth abortions. He has HUGE favor with much of the population, for the way he handled New York after the 9/11 attacks, and that could take him a long way with people who are highly interested in the "war on terrorism" (dont' get me started on how we could possibly declare war on an abstract concept. whatever). At the same time, the way he handled his personal life is questionable, declaring a separation from his second wife publicly before even telling her. He's not as strong a candidate as McCain, but again, his 9/11 hero status could carry him quite a ways.

You know my feelings on Barack Obama as a democratic candidate. He ROCKS my free world. A civil rights lawyer. A liberal who isn't afraid to use religious rhetoric (which, while not a major issue for me, will appeal greatly to the religious right). A candid and engaging personality. My only issue, thus far, with him is his stance on immigration. Now, I haven't made my mind up one way or the other about what to do with illegal aliens, but I have a feeling that his stance may be too liberal for many voters. (check out this site http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm for info on what he supports, as well as finding links to the other candidates and what they support).

Hilary Clinton is, thus far, the other major frontrunner for the democratic nomination. Before Obama stated that he would consider a run, she was definately considered the democrats great hope. Polticially, she is very similar to Obama, supporting and opposing almost the exact same issues. As far as I've seen, the one defining difference between the two is her political experience. She has much more than Obama does. This could work to her favor or against her. Clinton is still a dirty word in many households for the way that Hillary's husband handled the Monica Lewinsky debacle, and Hillary has lost a lot of respect from people who think she should have kicked her cheating husband to the curb. I think there is a pervasive fear that another Clinton in office could bring back the same "immorality" to the presidency that was there while Bill was the head honcho. (Of course these people who are so concerned with Bill Clintons sexual exploits have no qualms about being lied to about the reasons that we're entrenched in this interminable war...hmm...hypocracy??..whatever. that's a whole other post). At the same time, her experience could give her an edge over Obama, who is relatively new to the national political landscape.

My early early early predictions for the 2008 race: McCain versus Clinton. As much as I LOVE Obama, I'm afraid to hope, and have a feeling that this early hype may fizzle too early. If it truly is McCain v. Clinton, political analysts say that McCain will win. It is said that if Hillary runs, the only person who could beat her is McCain, and if McCain runs, he will beat everyone, including Hillary. But, of course this was before Obama was a consideration. (Wildcard!!!) So....we shall see!