On the Repub side, John Bolton, the former Bush administration U.N. ambassador, Fox News foreign policy analyst and a solid neocon (although I read that he does not accept the label), is actually hiring for his political operation and fleshing out some domestic views for what the National Review says is serious preparation to throw his hat in the 2016 presidential ring.
On the Dem side, Howard Dean—who has previously said that he would give another presidential run some thought—is in Iowa and will be in New Hampshire next month. Even if Hillary Clinton runs, someone will very likely challenge her from the left. In ABC’s”The Note,” Rick Klein reports: “when Dean says — and yes, he’s said this — that he’d think about giving it another go if other Democratic candidates aren’t speaking to the progressive base, take him seriously.” Dean came from nowhere to become the frontrunner, running from the left against a bunch of more cautious Dems in 2004, although that bid didn’t end well.
Dean Wasn’t Always a Leftie
When Gov. Dean first announced he was running in 2003, he was viewed as a more centrist alternative to folks like Senator Kerry. Dean used to drive the progressive Dems in Vermont crazy some days with his centrist approach to governing.
He got that “Left” label because he was the first candidate to make opposition to the Iraq invasion a vocal and up front issue. So a LOT invasion opponents gravitated to him, creating tremendous buzz.
To me, Gov. Dean was a much better DNC chair than he was a presidential candidate. He was great on t.v. and in interviews. He could draw and excite a crowd. And most importantly, he could raise $$ for local parties. Thanks to him Dems had the fifty state strategy–something they have abandoned, to their own detriment.
Just. my .02
Huh?
Like Eric you ignore Dennis Kucinich. HE was the first and most vocal of the candidates against the war in 2004,
Whatever could go wrong with a blusterer like Bolton as president ?
Dean would be great!!!
Gov. Dean is not afraid to be interviewed on Fox News and announce and defend his liberal views.
This is the complete opposite of the Amy K approach to politics. Refreshing…
We need many many Republicans in the GOP debates
One by one they will call each other out about the foolishness each of them has said, does, or is about to do. Every ten Republicans think they are the Party so there won’t be any unity during the debates or after the war of words has subsided. With there proclamations of wanting to follow in the footsteps of Ronald Reagan, no longer good to do, because it turns out America’s decline started with Reagan. Look at non-partisan charts of the countries key metrics and the decline of the country started with Reagan. After all the debates they will still be leaderless and totally dysfunctional. They will all be against, what has come to be known as, “Obamacare”, but provide no alternative. They will be against immigration, but provide not alternative much to their detriment, because they need the Hispanic’s vote to win. Their war on women will continue, much to their detriment, because they need the women’s vote to win. Their war on minorities will continue, much to their detriment, because they need the minorities vote to win. They only want to govern for part of the country to the detriment of the rest of us, which makes them losers in the long run. Many, many Republicans in the debates will be much to their detriment.
Dean never was a leftie
The idea that Dean is a leftie is laughable. He’s not as far right as Hillary Clinton. But he’s to the right of Richard Nixon. And to say “Dean came from nowhere to become the frontrunner, running from the left against a bunch of more cautious Dems in 2004, although that bid didn’t end well.” is ludicrous. Eric of course ignores Dennis Kucinich who also ran in 2004. As did all the political experts back then. Dennis was the leftie that Eric wants to think Dean is.
Hillary won’t run. Her role right now is to provide a target for the crazy GOP. Her apparent presence drives the teabaggers insane. They will expend all their energy and money attacking Hillary. This will solidify peoples view that the GOP is anti-women. Everyone already knows the GOP is anti-minority, anti-middle class, and anti-immigration so this just another indication proving the GOP is the party of no.
At this point, I don’t believe we’ve heard the name of the Democratic nominee. Dean, maybe, but any potential nominee who’s not connected to party leadership will have the advantage going into the primaries. Whomever gets the nomination, Elizabeth Warren has to be considered for the VP spot.