Just found out that Theo Epstein worked on the Howard Dean election commitee:eek: :eek: :smash:

Sadly it is a very conentious issue right now. It's also sad that there is not a candidate sufficiently unifying that would bring large leagues of people to cross party affiliations and bring this country together.

Who could possibly do something like that?

Collin Powel?

Rudy Gulliani?

(John Mccain may have done it if his greater exposure had occured more before his failed bid for office)...

McCain would have gone a long way. I'm not sure Rudy could really do it. Rudy has a mystique about him and he's a good speaker, but 9/11 aside he really doesn't offer much substance.

-spence

I think you're off base there. Rudy was a temendous mayor who brought major changes to NYC. He instituted welfare reform and brought about effective policing that reduced the crime rate to the extent that NY is now the safest big city in the US. Above all else, he was a hands-on guy who directed the course of the city rather than a guy who "managed" by consensus. The mayor of NYC probably has more power than any other elected official in the country, and he used that power to make positive changes.

As President, having to play nice with the other kids, maybe his "my way or the highway" philosophy would be a shortcoming, but to say he has no substance is wrong. Someone who has been the mayor of a city of 7 million people---more than the population of most US states---is certainly more qualified than, say, a member of Congress or the governor of a small, rural state to be President.

He also has crossover appeal. He'd appeal to Republicans on foreign policy and defense issues, he'd be a fiscal conservative, but he's very liberal on social issues--pro-choice and pro-gay rights.

"Hillary- 2008"




:hihi: :yak:

seriously, i totally agree with John R. we hae two candidates who are polar extremes of eachother. Where is the middleground?

There is no middle ground in tough times. Tough decisions need to be made, the stakes are higher.

No middle ground :smash: That's what's wrong with politics today. I lost respect for Rudy watching him campaign for Bush...the electorate shouldn't be forced to extremes by divisive politics. The facts are there is more than one way to deal with tough issues, and Americans will reflect that.

-spence

SPence, I agree that there is more than one way to deal with tough issues, but no matter how you do it, the country will be divided. I have driven across the USA four times. I lived my childhood in CT, my adolosence in RI, I live in San Francisco for 6 years and now Mass. The country is made up of vastly different ideals. SF might as well be a different country than Dallas Tx.
When the stakes are high, emotions are high and thus it appears that we are divided.

McCain has campaigned longer than Rudy for Bush and has more reason to dislike the guy personally after all the crap they threw at him in South Carolina in 2000.

McCain campaigns for Bus#, but when interviewed he's clearly a closet Kerry supporter :D I'd much rather vote for a moderate Republican, but there isn't one on the ticket ;)

I don't think Rudy's a bad guy, I just think there is an image of him that's greater than what he is. He certainly did make a positive impact on New York for many, but you can't lock up all the bums nationwide. Perhaps I just don't like how he's embraced the Bush propaganda machine so much. I liked him much better before he started stumping :laughs:

-spence