Even after the Pennsylvania primary, the Democratic Party doesn’t have a clear front runner for the presidential nomination.  If you ask me, I can understand why.  I wouldn’t be able to make a choice either – it is like picking between a root canal or a sharp stick in the eye.  As the political season continues on, the public is getting to see how bad Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are; not only as political candidates but as people.
    The public is beginning to see how inexperienced and naïve Barak Obama is as a political candidate. Barack maybe a very charismatic guy with a good public speaking talent, but he isn’t any different from any of the other candidates, especially in terms of the promises he is making. Barack doesn’t understand the American people.  He is getting a lot of support from the Hollywood elite and the opponents of Hillary, but will he be able to keep the support of those voters who don’t want Hillary? I don’t think so.  There is a big difference between supporting someone and not wanting the other option.
    Many in the Democratic Party don’t want to see Bill and Hillary back in the White House and so they are supporting Barack during the primary season. I don’t think they will continue to support Barack in the general election. Barack has no real political experience and is very weak on foreign policy.  When a presidential candidate talks about removing the nuclear option off the table and sending troops into Pakistan, you have to wonder what he is thinking.  I know that was several months ago, but obviously he thought that way at one point in time and making bad choices like that could have devastating consequences.
    Barack also has some very questionable friends and advisors.  As the country saw during the last debate, Barack was a little upset when asked about his association with one of his previous ministers. I think it is a very valid question.  Of course in life you meet and maybe will associate with people for a period of time but when that person starts doing or saying things that are obviously wrong you should reconsider and hopefully end the relationship, not defend the person. Barack has not done this.  
    In fact the friend in question seems to be feeding off the public attention and thinks his message is now endorsed by Obama since Obama has not disavowed the minister or his message for that matter.  
    Again another scary thought – who will he bring as advisors and appointees if he becomes President? Do we want people who hate America and blame America to be brought in as political appointees?
    Hillary is kind of a known candidate but in many ways, she is surprising.  We all know that Bill couldn’t tell the truth if he had to, but now Hillary seems to have a hard time telling the truth too.  She is really playing every card as she tries to get the nomination for the Democratic Party.  
    Hillary will stop at nothing to try to win the election, Bill can try to use race, Hillary will use her woman advantage, and both Bill and Hillary will make up things in order to get that extra vote or two. She has cried that she is being picked on by the other candidates and then she gets emotional for one of the primaries.  She has learned from Bill well that you need to tell the voters what they want to hear.  
    Being President of the United States is probably a very difficult position.  I am sure the leaders of other countries are not going to feel sorry for her or figure if she is a woman, they should give her a break.  It takes a tough person who is going to stand up for the United States and make those tough decisions to be President.  I don’t think Hillary has those qualities.  She is running for President not to make America better but because she thinks she deserves it.
    I hope Barack wins the Democratic nomination because he will be an easier candidate for John McCain to beat, but in the end I think Hillary will have too much political leverage to allow that to happen.  I think you will see the Democratic Party almost tear itself in two because of it.  I think it will be wrong, but I see Hillary getting the nomination and if she steps over a few bodies to get there, she won’t blink an eye.
    Even though I have been told I am wrong, I think John McCain will be the next President.  I say that because he will gather support from Democrats who will be disgruntled with the Democratic choice and because McCain is almost a Democrat himself.  Even though he won’t admit it, after the 2000 election, he has been in bed with more Democrats that he might want to admit and he was being courted to change parties.  This will make him attractive to the center part of the Democratic Party.
    I also say that any Republican is better than the best Democrat.  In the end, the Republic Party will move solidly behind McCain and he will have the support he needs.  If he picks the correct running mate – a solid, clean conservative, then I think McCain will recover the conservative right too.
    McCain is also a career politician who does have experience with most aspects of running the country. He has foreign policy experience, he has military experience, and even though many of his social and domestic policies are questionable, he does have the experience to know what he can and can’t do.  I think this will give him the edge he needs to win the Presidency.

-Bill Weaver 

    Election 2008, finally we get rid of President Bush, Cheney and the rest of his  administration. This tangled contest is the longest in recent history. Last November, Sen. Clinton was the sure fire nominee and almost guaranteed to be president. Obama seemed be destined for her VP, and McCain’s campaign looked as if it were about to buy the farm. All that has changed. Clinton and Obama have bitterly fought since January. McCain had, for the most part, swept the nomination up after Super Tuesday. He now has time to watch the death match between Sens. Obama and Clinton.
    Who has the stamina to win the Democratic nod? Well unless something drastic happens, it is going to be Obama. For Hilary to get the nomination, she must get 436  of the 717 remaining delegates. Thats about 60 percent of the remaining delegates. Obama only needs 301 of the 717 remaining delegates or about 42%. So even if Clinton wins all the remaining primaries, she still might not get the nod. She must win them by at least a 60-40 margin. This unlikely to happen.
    Unless DNC Chairmen Howard Dean tells the Super delegates to decide by a certain time, this race could go until the Democratic Convention. Even if they were trying, there is hardly any more they could do to damage their once guaranteed chances at getting the Presidency. They have fractured the party and neither one wants to be the other as VP. Barring the event that the Super Delegates override the popular vote, Obama has the nod.
    Now for the general election, anything could happen. There is room for a 3rd party in this election. There is the chance that something could happen on the Republican side. Rep. Paul supporters are making a commotion in Texas, Nevada, and other places. McCain himself has had skin cancer in the past. He is no spring chicken.
    Also VP choices will mean everything in this election for the Republican party. They need to choose someone who won’t scare off the conservative base or scare off any potential independent voters. This is what makes this election season difficult to predict.        
    Well, let’s say Obama gets the nod. Obama will probably pick someone with some experience. Gov. Richardson seems to be the best choice. Former Secretary of Energy and Ambassador to the UN, Richardson also has the immigration issue to bring to the table.
    On the Republican side, McCain has a more picky decision. Considering the spirt of the Ron Paul people, he might want them just for their fund raising ability. Condi is off the table, she is too connected to President Bush. There is also Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. She is a fresh face to balance that of Obama’s. She is very conservative, but not to scary. Although she did just have her fifth child on April 12th. Besides all this, this election is impossible to predict. For all we know, there will be a brokered deal at the Democratic convention, and Al Gore will win it all.

-Eleanor M. Wyatt