I am trying to think if this is the strangest primary season I've seen and I think it might be. There have been other "odd" runs in Presidential history, but this is comic book fodder.
We have an actor, a woman, a guy with connections to the mob, an African/American, a Mormon recently endorsed by one of the most right of the right (Bob Jones University) a fading war hero, a hispanic, two outspoken and maybe cranky old men, a trial lawyer, and that's not even the complete field. The voters don't seem particularly impressed with endorsements only the candidates are chasing those. Not one group seems to have enough respect left in this country to swing voters behind one candidate.
We've been told that Hillary is going to be our candidate and that's who we will vote into office. It's been such a foregone conclusion for so many months I feel as if she has already served 4 years. In my neck of the woods I am not hearing too much excitement over Hillary but the media pundits have her as the candidate and going against whoever the Republicans decide. Even the Republicans have picked her as the winner. For the touted "most expensive" campaign ever we have a fairly lackluster pool of players from which to choose.
It is going to be a busy primary season that's for sure with Hillary/Obama going in as the front runners from the Democratic Party and Giuliani/Romney for the GOP.
Stan asked on the last thread how did I think Hillary would react if she loses the primary and the article Stan posted on the top 10 ways Hillary could tank is well worth the read.(reposted here)
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/10/16/hillary_10/index_np.html
An elephant in the room for Hillary is also her husband, not only could she tank but if some of the gossip about Bill and his women is true, Bill could "tank" her. Hillary has a Mercury/Saturn square in her chart at 21 Leo (Saturn) and 21 Scorpio (Mercury) the last Saturn/Neptune opposition fell across that 21 degrees except Neptune was Retrograde. Neptune goes direct Nov. 1st and by January 21/22/23/24 it conjuncts Mercury at 20/21 Aquarius, setting off that opposition.
As far as dirty tricks, Hillary isn't any more likely to use or not use them as any other candidate. They all have those things at their disposal and the top tier candidates from both parties are the most likely to use them whenever they can if they think it will advance them and their agenda. Sadly, dirty tricks are as old as politics in this country and every country and Hillary's campaign can be as cut-throat as the rest of them. She has them up her sleeve and will use them when she has to, the further ahead she is the less likely she will need them.
I don't think the campaign for President has even warmed up, the closer we get to the holidays the more you will see. I think it will be a pretty ugly primary season and I am wondering if anyone in the GOP or Democratic party is going to drop out. I would have thought they would have dropped out before now, all we've had is Tommy Thompson and those who never jumped in.
A political campaign is grueling, and the presidential campaign is the most grueling. Day and night campaigning with terrible food, or food on the run, little if any sleep, day and night on stage, it takes a toll on the body. Unfortunately that type of life-style is particularly hard on women, when we don't get any sleep we look horrible, when men don't get sleep they look important and busy. The media will have a hayday showing a drained and exhausted Hillary and god help her if she gains weight. Wonder how Mitt Romney always looks like a cardboard cut out? The candidates need to find out and use his tricks for looking good. There are more candidates than ever and no one is happy about any of them, no one feels good about any of them. These are big business and media candidates and everyone knows it.
Looking back over the US humorists the last 231 years and their comments, the single most reason for a cynnical outlook in politics is the politicians.