A Look Into the Future
| Published 12/03/04

Graphic by: Allen Blickle

Immediately after the 2004 election concluded, the buzz of 2008 started. The instant reaction of Democrats was that Senator Kerry would not run again. The first reaction from Republicans was that someone in the cabinet might run. Either way, the candidates will be plentiful and diverse in the primaries. When President Bush leaves office in 2008, the Republican Party will be left without a dominant voice. There are a few prominent members, but no one person stands out as the head of the movement. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has aspirations, as does former presidential candidate/Arizona Senator John McCain. In 2008, Senator McCain will be 72 years old. This will most likely be his last chance to run a hard campaign for the Presidency. His moderate approaches anger some conservatives and annoy many liberals while pleasing the majority of moderate Americans. However, his military experience and his five and half years as a POW in Vietnam all contribute to healthy fundraising and large crowds. Mayor Giuliani is a crowd-pleaser but would most likely not get the party nomination because he is pro-choice, the perceived opposite the official platform of the party. Although these two men are the major contenders, New York Governor George Pataki, outgoing Secretary of State Powell and incoming Secretary of State Rice are also in the ballgame.

The Democrats are in a period of realignment. After the defeat of the second North-Eastern liberal in 20 years, the party is doing what chairman Terry McAuliffe calls, "soul searching." Possible contenders for the nomination include former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, New York Senator Hillary Clinton, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, and Massachusetts Senator/former DNC nominee Kerry. Even though it was widely-believed that Senator Kerry would not run again, he is still sitting on a $50 million campaign war chest from 2004. He had saved the money to litigate the election if it was terribly close. He has star power and possesses the most important quality: money.

Other stars include Senators Clinton and Edwards. Senator Clinton would be a strong primary candidate but most likely would not fare well in the election because of deep-seeded American sexism. Senator Edwards is helping his wife battle breast cancer and his future is up in the air. Governor Dean is most likely to ascend to DNC chairman if former President Clinton does not take that road but, he could decide to run again on something other than an anti-war platform.

No matter what happens in the next four years, the election of 2008 will be a turning point in American politics and the deciding factor of the post-President George W. Bush era. Both sides are already taking off the gloves and no punches will be pulled.