When Will the United States.....

I saw a show on this a couple of days ago...I believe the main reason was that American's want a strong person with good presance, typically someone good looking and charming...

This isn't West Wing, so I can't see a minority in the near term, but hopefully soon...As for women, I doubt it for the above reasons...It would have to be someone powerful and persuasive and hot...

 

I don't want to have a female president just so we can boast about how "progressive" we are for having a female president.

 

I'd vote for Janet Napolitano (AZ governor) if she ran for president.

I would have voted for Colin Powell if he had run for president, would being the key word because I have lost my respect for the man.

 

I'm probably giving American voters too much credit, but I believe Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, Bill Richardson, Elizabeth Dole, Colin Powell and Condi Rice (at least) are all electable.

 

I think it will be at least another generation. Of the ones mentioned by Batman, I think only Obama has a real shot by the time he is done. The idea of Colin was once strong, but is much less so after the Iraq travesty. Same with Rice, who I think is also being buoyed by the Republican "I have a black friend" mentality... no way she gets through the primaries, much less the general, plus, she always looks like a deer in the headlights when being questioned. Bill and Dole are ambitious and say lots of things that their parties can agree with, but ultimately, both are lightweights who would be lucky to get a Veep nod. Hillary is capable and has lots of money, which can take her far, but I think she has too much baggage (real and imagined) and not quite the right personality to go the distance. I think she's already done some amazing things and a run could only tarnish her considerable acheivements. Obama has the skills and personality to eventually make it work, plus he's still young enough. I suspect that when the dam breaks, it will break in a big way and we will see many minority and women candidates and winners after that.

 

I agree with just about everything you posted, rimrocker. When I say those people are electable I mean that it's conceivable, not that I would predict them for winners. The only bit of your post I don't agree with is that it will take another generation. And, again, I acknowledge that might be optimistic. With all the evidence to the contrary I just refuse to believe that there are that many Americans that wouldn't vote for a woman or minority.

 

I guess if you boil it all down, my position is that an average-good candidate cannot be the first one... it will take an exceptional person to break the dam and the only person out there with that potential that I see is Obama. Things could easily change and there is probably someone else out there I just don't know enough about to consider.

 

Iran had a female Vice President for the last 8 years, but that never gets mentioned in all the hysteria and Iran bashing that goes on.

 

.....

 

^Hayes you truly are entertaining

But kind of pathetic as well since you're the one that showed your great respect and admiration for women by advocating that they walk around topless

 

I think people can see from your own words how much credibility you have on the issue.

 

Damn, hayes and creepy, what's to argue here? We man are all horny freaks.

 

So you're saying that you aren't the one that showed your great respect and admiration for women by advocating that they walk around topless?

 

It's like watching a married couple fight...they make such a nice couple

 

Assuming the candidate's character doesn't get assassinated during primaries, there's also the other type...

 

Noticeable on that list is Bangladesh's president (a Muslim-majority country) and Indonesia's former President, who was also a woman.

 

I agree it won't take another generation. Obama needs a lot more seasoning but he has a shot if he avoids getting defined or ideologically pigeonholed by right-wingers.

Lil Pun, if Hillary runs and fails it won't be just because she's a woman. There are plenty of valid reasons not to vote for her.

 

Who's hysteria? Yours? What does that have to do with a woman or minority getting elected to the highest office in the United States?

Women have been Prime Ministers and Heads of State all over the world. The United States has really lagged behind in that area. I feel optimistic about either a woman or a minority (hard to believe we'll get both in one package any time soon), being elected here, so I'm more in Batman's camp. I'm afraid rimrocker is more likely to be closer to the mark, however.

I'm a huge fan of Obama, and still hope he can be convinced to make a run for '08. I hate the thought of having to wait until 2012 or 2016 to vote for him. I'm also a big fan of Russ Feingold, who would make an excellent President, and happens to be Jewish, another road yet to be traveled by this country, and overdue. I remember what a big deal it was when JFK ran in 1960 as what would be the first Catholic to be President. Now no one gives a thought about whether someone is Catholic or not, when running for that office.

Time to make these artificial barriers go away, and elect Presidents based on their qualifications for the job (a novel thought!), and not what race or religion (or lack of a religion) a person happens to be.



Keep D&D Civil.

 

Woman before a Minority
neither in our lifetime

Rocket River