ian. Gore not only sold his own party to the Bushes in Y2000 ( he presided at the infamous self- demise in Y2001 certification session) but he is out of politics. He can’t win.

2. Obama cannot run either for Pres or for VP because he is black. Sorry, no racism, just practical politics. The US is not ready for a black junior senator to become more than that. His time might come but not in the Y2008. I am not even mentioning his politics. It is a reality that dictates the situation.

3. Hillary Clinton knows she will never have even a slightest chance for Pres because she is a woman. She might have a chance for VP if a strong Pres. candidate comes out but even that is unlikely. Sorry, same argument applies; we are not ready for Commander-in -Chief female, period. I am not a mysoginist- that is just a political reality; let’s not be hypocritical. Condi Rice is just a tool and all reasonable people see that. Maybe it is even good that she is a tool: I am really afraid of her unilateral activities.

4. Kerry cannot win for two reasons: he does not want to win and he is a Catholic. Again, I am not a religious zealot. But the last time a Catholic was in the White House that was JFK, the votes were bought and also we all know what happened next. No way a serious party will bid on such candidate.

That is if any of the above are chosen for the Y2008 runs

that would be a signal that Dems do not want to win, period.

Bill Moyers and others like him are terrific people but they will not be able to win exactly because they are not in politics.

So, let’s be reasonable and understand that the pool of candidates for the Demparty (that is if they truly want to win) is traditional- Democratic State Governors. Governor Strickland from Ohio comes to mind. Or Governor Dean again. Let’s understand and be honest to acknowledge that the viable candidate must be:

a) white

b)man

c)protestant

d)family man

e)local politician with deep ties

f)reasonably good- looking

g) have a good record

h- the most important one: he has to be a statesman and show it by willing to fight for the Democratic Vision.

I sadly put this as the last because unless he has all the features a-g there is no chance in Hell for him to win.

Let’s hope that the Demparty does want to win. And let’s hope they find the right candidate for it. That is for winning it is. Not for the showmanship.

by panurg (5 articles, 784 comments) on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 1:36:51 PM

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This elicited from me the following reply:

You may be right, but

What you say is quite plausible. But it is not the only possible plausible scenario. I don’t think we can know so well as your tone suggests what might or might not be able to sell to the American people. If the process by which the truth unfolds over the next eighteen months is such that it arouses the American people to a sense of distaste for what has been done lately in the political arena– well, then the state of mind of the American people may make them welcome a person who is not a politician –Bill Moyers– who has knowledge of the world that runs very deep, including the world of politics, where he was press secretary to the President of the United States, as a potential leader, for perhaps one term. He’s a man who manifestly has in spades what our political system has so sorely lacked over recent years. He has integrity. He has an open and inquiring mind (vs. our “curiously incurious” president. He is honest, and he is on a mission to serve the good and the true as best he understands them. Whether one agrees with him or not, I would think those qualities would be palpable and recognized by the American people.

And he brings vision,as

I would like to see some evidence that he has developed the skills that are necessary to sit on top of a huge pyramid and get the information one needs, and to sit at the control panel of a vast machine, and make sure it runs properly.

It would be nice to have someone who’s effective at being an executive, as well as a man with the character and depth of knowledge of the kind that America needs to help heal and restore and rebuild.

My thanks to georip for supporting the idea that there is a place for vision. If we simply accept the pathological status quo about America, then we’ve given up the fight. We need to envision what MIGHT happen, and then wait and see how things unfold before we decide what CAN happen.

So we have a chance now to try to see how much of a spiritual renewal America is ready for. Bill Moyers could declare his candidacy for president in January, just after New Years. THis will mean that he will suddenly have a new degree of access to the mainstream media, as he becomes a kind of a story– a guy, with a serious and brilliant if unusual resume, who is going around the country telling Americans what they need to hear to really be able to start repairing the damage that these BUshites have done– not just in Iraq but at every level of structure and of spirit. He would become a story, if the media would only treat him as such.

This is something that Moyers could do whether or not he was actually interested in serving. It would be honest enough to suit me if Moyers showed only seriousness about actually getting elected, even if in his inner heart he’s thinking “UNless this all unfolds in a way that’s surprising to me, I am not really oriented toward getting elected but to speaking what America needs to hear.”

What America needs to hear– about its leadership –present and future– from a potential leader (of some important sort) who is speaking from a political podium without having the usual politician’s wanting to be all things to all people, and to maintain ambiguity to appeal to as many people as possible.