Fantasy Politics USA

This past weekend influx of Presidetial hopfuls has carried on over to today’s news. Of the three Democrats that announced Hillary is considered a front runner, but many doubt she can win. If she did win and went on through to 2016, that would 28 years of Bush’s and Clinton’s. And if that isn’t enough they is talk of Jeb Bush running after that. I think we have had enough of these guys. She also has a high percentage of people that will vote to vote against her. Do you really think Bubu down in the south will vote for her? I’m sure Bubu will talk the talk in front of his wife, but behind that voting curtain is a different story. Both Hillary and Obama had a free ride into the Senate. Hillary faced Guliani until he was sick and the Republicans came up with a weak second stringer to face her. She also spent millions to get in a second time. Obama faced Alan Keyes, need I say more???
And then there is Richardson, probably the most qualified of this weekends bunch, but also least likely to succed. The Republican’s are a bit slower about jumping in mostly out of respect for Bush, but they are still chomping at the bit to jump in, and acting like candidates. McCain and Giuliani are the Republican front runners. Last week McCain hired some big gun political consultants, and Giuliani is traveling all over the place talking about the feasibility of running for President. It’s a long way to go, and at this time in 2004 Joe Lieberman, and Dick Gephardt where ahead of John Kerry.
Alan Cosgrove

Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats just finished the first two weeks, and slammed through in 100 hours 6 soft bills with wide popular support: increasing the minimum wage, broadening stem cell research, allowing government bargaining on Medicare drug prices, cutting student loan costs, putting in place terrorism-fighting recommendations from the Sept. 11 commission and rolling back energy company tax breaks. I guess this is a throwback to Franklin Roosevelts first 100 days. These were major acts that helped revive confidence in the ecconomy after the depression. Most of the acts passed in Pelosi’s first 100 hours were soft. It is expected that Bush will veto the stem cell research bill as he did last time. The Stem Cell bill is the only bill that Bush has vetoed during his whole 6 six years. Instead of vetoes, President Bush prefers to rewrite the rules to fit his needs with special signing statements.
Now The Democrats and Pelosi will have to face some real issues like the war in Iraq, and the Immigration issue that seems to have so many torn up. I can only assume the 100 hours theme comes from our thirst for instant gratification. But it is too much like fast food, you get what yo pay for. Personally I would prefer to wait for the cooks to slowly cook my meal to perfection, as opposed to grabing something at the drive through.
Alan Cosgrove

On Fox News Sunday Newt Gingrich Gingrinch campaign site
claims he will only run for President as a last resort. Here is a brief section of his interview with Chris Wallace,
WALLACE: But you sound as if you think about running for president as a last resort, not as a first resort.

GINGRICH: Exactly. I mean, nobody’s ever said it quite that way, but you’re right.

I believe that, as a citizen, that if I can provide solutions, if I can develop new ideas — and we’re going to share these with all the candidates in both parties. If we can, as we have with the Center for Health Transformation, develop an entire generation of new ideas on health care, if we can do that on energy, on education, on national security, on immigration, that I’ve served as a citizen in a very effective way.

If, in that process, it becomes necessary to run, then I’ll run. But I — and I know this sounds naive, but the Contract with America preceded winning; it didn’t follow it.

WALLACE: Last resort, not first resort.

GINGRICH: Last resort.

WALLACE: Mr. Speaker, thank you so much. Always interesting. Please come back, sir.

GINGRICH: Thank you.

For a closer look at his interview with Chris Wallace check here, Newt Interview with Chris Wallace

Bill Richardson brings to American politics the chance for the first Mexican American to run for President. He was actually born in California, but was raised in Mexico City. His mother is Mexican. Now we have a woman, and black man, and a Mexican American running on the Democratic side. Bill Richardson launched his campaign site, and annouced his intentions on ABC’s This Week. He was a former US Ambassador to the United Nations and four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and now a Presidential Candidate. “We have to repair the damage that’s been done to our country over the last six years. Our reputation in the world is diminished, our economy has languished, and civility and common decency in government has perished,” said Richardson.
Alan Cosgrove

Bill Richardson accounced today on ABC’s “This Week” that he is in too, by forming his exploritory committee. “The next president must be able to make us energy independent, must be able to make schools better, create jobs, give the American people, every American, a fair shot,” said Richardson. “To get that done, you need real-life experience. All I’m saying is, a lot of these folks can make speeches about all these things. I’ve actually done it.” You can see the whole story and video on this ABC site ABC News

Hillary Clinton Snapshot
By The Associated Press

January 20, 2007, 10:42 AM EST

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is among a dozen or more Democrats who have set their sights on the White House:

INTERESTING NOTE: After graduating from Wellesley College in 1969, Clinton spent the summer gutting salmon at a fishery in Valdez, Alaska. “Of all the jobs I’ve had, sliming fish was pretty good preparation for life in Washington,” she wrote in her autobiography, “Living History.”

DETAIL YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW: Clinton’s 87-year-old mother, Dorothy Rodham, lives with the Clintons at their home in Washington.

CHALLENGE: No woman has ever been elected president. Because she is such a polarizing figure who carries considerable baggage from her years as first lady, Clinton must convince skeptical Democrats that she can win a general election.

CAREER NOTE: During Bill Clinton’s years as Arkansas governor — a job that paid him about $35,000 annually — Hillary Clinton was the family’s primary breadwinner. She was a partner at Little Rock’s prestigious Rose Law Firm and served on several corporate boards, including Wal-Mart’s.

PERSONAL: Married for 31 years to the former president. One daughter, Chelsea, 26.

TOUGH ISSUES: The Iraq war. Clinton supported the 2002 resolution authorizing military intervention in Iraq and has refused to repudiate her vote despite strong pressure from liberal activists who tend to dominate Democratic primaries. Recently, she has proposed capping troop levels in Iraq and has criticized the leadership of Iraq’s U.S.-backed prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.

Today is the first day of Fantasy Politics 2008 The Game. Hillary broke out fast with an early morning announcment of an exploritory committee, Campaign sight . A second senator, later announced his own plans to enter the race, Sam Brownback, Campaign sight. Bill Richardson is planning an announcment tomorrow on ABC’s “This Week”, one of the Sunday news shows. This will give Richardson extra points, way to go Bill! Obama on the other hand, was a bit to early to qualify for points in this league. Watch for the official game to come up soon on this sight,