they can tout Fred Thompson as the next Reagan until they're blue in the face, but this party is toast in 2008.
as much as i dislike her, and as much as i think the country shares in that sentiment, i think even hillary could win against _any_ republican contender in 2008.
they just don't get it.
with the exception of ron paul, who's too fringe to be taken seriously by the electorate, none of them have come out and said what needs to be said:
this war is a fucking disaster that needs to end.
even some republican senators are beginning to see the writing on the wall.
look at luger, who was once a staunch supporter of the war effort. even he's come out and said that the war needs to end or republicans are TOAST.
you almost have to think, with this war and the immigration debacle, that bush is a plant.
of course, knowing his history, i don't.
but this guy has really fucked his party over.
i mean, you would think republicans would understand that:
a) the majority of the public, overwhelmingly, wants this war to end.
b) the longer we read stories of soldiers dying on a daily basis, the more remote of a chance the republicans have to take the white house in 2008.
it's a catch 22.
bush can't just up and leave, right?
if he stays, the american public grows increasingly disenchanted with the effort.
this is why i think the republican debates are superflous.
who gives a shit what your positions on immigration or healthcare are.
the public wants out.
if you're not going to take a position that agrees with that view, you aren't going to win the general election.
sure, you'll win the primaries, where fanatical holdouts still cling to the absurd fantasy that this war is good for the campaign against "terror."
but when the general election rolls around, you are going to get steamrolled by a public that is fed up.
and by that time, it'll be too late.
sure, there'll be some here who'll say that the republicans are just currying favor with their base, defending the war because they know supporters of the war are going to the polls in those states that matter.
again, by that time, it will be too little too late.
the public will see through their charade, and they will vote for the democrat.
right now, i think either al gore or obama are going to win the presidency, with me leaning towards the former.
i want obama, but i think al gore only has to throw his hat in the ring to end this.
once he's in, with the public aware of what COULD HAVE BEEN had bush not stolen the presidency, al gore will blow the competition away.