Today's Topic: Will the 2008 Presidential election break the 'white male' mold?

I would hope other qualifications would rule Primary Day. However, whether they do or not, the minority leaders running will be paving the way for th future.

If a white male is elected president, it doesn't necessarily mean the country is not ready yet. It may just mean that the white male is the better candidate.

I feel that democrats used to be friendlier to minorities. However, I think it is pretty even slated now.

No, this "white male mode" won't be broken, but not for demographically related reasons. Clinton, Obama, and Richardson all have electoral weaknesses, as I address in my Gather articles "A comprehensive, analytical look at the 2008 Presidential election" (or something like that).

I don't think gender and race are qualifications. I would hope that a woman or an African-American or a Hispanic-American could win IF they were the best qualified candidate.

I see the struggle for our right to representative government as the biggest umbrella issue facing America today. Corporate money infects politics and the media, making it nearly impossible for the voices of the people to be heard. Corporate takeover of our government is killing our democracy. The best qualified person will be the one who is best qualified to fight corporate influence and give us back our government!

This feminist is supporting John Edwards, who happens to be a white male. I don't care what his demographic is. I think he is the best qualified candidate for the struggle we currently face. He spent much of his life fighting for average people's voices to be heard in our justice system, over the louder corporate voices. He's been working hard on issues of poverty and worker rights, running a poverty center at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and fighting for the right for workers to organize.

The question is not what gender or race a person is. The question is who will serve all of us the best. John Edwards is the best candidate. If he wins, it will not mean America is not ready for someone other than a white male. It WILL mean the people were able to clearly discern what's in our best interests.

Democrat "all time"- quota ticket. We don't care if you are qulified, just as long as your not a "White Boy". How about a "Vanilla-Fudge" ticket of two birds of a feather- who came to prominence by lying about Rape, and trying to lynch innocent men to futher themselves. I know one of these weasels is white , but he is a liberal "White Boy" so i'm sure the far- lefters for Quotas will except this Whitey. Al Sharpton and Mike Nifong-- "The New Dream-Team". Hey- how about Condi& Michael Steele - Oh, i forgot, Sharpton has said they are not really black.

Arugh!!! Shiver me timbers... NOT with Hillary and O'Bama I pray...

I don't believe this is a race for the "anything but a rich white man" philosophy. I do believe that qualifications no longer matter in our race to the White House. What matters is how much money you can raise and spend. That's it. A terrifically qualified white guy with wonderful ideas wouldn't stand a chance if he couldn't raise a bazillion bucks and ingratiate himself to the political elite. It's a sad but true observation that our current system has driven out the idea of candidates being qualified to run.

The Hispanic person, Richardson, lacks the fund raising ability shared by others. Besides, if a Hispanic makes it, his race will not be a significant factor as Hispanics can be classed as "white" and have been a part of America as long as the west.

Hillary is extremely polarizing and I believe it would be in the best interests of the party to nominate a more encompassing candidate such as Edwards.

Obama is a good man with good fund raising capability but is a little light for the presidency. I can certainly see a ticket of Edwards and Obama or Edwards and Clinton but I doubt Clinton would agree to it!

Will the pattern be broken? Never - until that minority is actually elected! Would I vote for one of these just because he or she is what they are. No.

"and oh I feel so sorry for John Edwards, yes he is a qualified candidate, but his wife has cancer, it was announced during his last bid."

Elizabeth Edwards is cancer-free now and in good health, thank goodness. Her treatment was successful. John's decision to run again depended on her being in good health.

I'm for a Hillary/Barack ticket. I think they would make a terrific administration. So many things could be addressed and dealt with in this country. It won't happen with the same old same old.

I personally think we as a nation are overdue for a woman or minority leader. What better way to show cultural acceptance and diversity than to break the white male mold.

My husband and I align ourselves in the Democratic slot, and would vote for Obama or Hillary without a doubt.

Joe, as far as I'm concerned "same old same old" is any candidate who accepts money from PACs and lobbyists.

This quote is from the contribution page for John Edwards: "John Edwards for President has chosen not to accept contributions from PACs and lobbyists."

When Clinton or Obama decide to do the ethical thing and stop accepting contributions from PACs and lobbyists, I will consider them as reasonable alternatives to Edwards. The sooner Americans start asking where the money is coming from for hugely expensive political campaigns, the sooner we get our representative democracy back.

Hillary Clinton is aware of the value in the public and access to video-viewing You Tube and the networking myspace.com, just to name a few....There is no doubt in my mind, that the Internet will be an influential and critical part of the winners success. Unfortunately, Mr. Edwards, although I half agree with his concern about where the money comes from....he had better be because the Internet access is not going to be free!!!

The next campaign will not utilize the TV commercials as much as in the past so the money should go a bit farther, but its not going to make any difference what the pundits have to say about those running for President...or any other office...

I feel we will see a huge turnaround in the next 5 years as to what communication is all about and how it reaches the public...To quote political strategist, Hank Sheinfopf: " Its not going to be about who has the best television commercials or who has the greatest direct mail or who can make the most phone calls,"

I do believe a woman is ready to take on the Presidential Leadership but I almost have to ask her why she would want to cause she is gonna take a lot of S--- from some of those good ole boys....and those corporations run by the boys club...they are gonna let her have it also...but if she is willing to stick her neck out and give it a try - she has my vote!

Its time to rid this country of sexism, race and religious discrimination....we have to clean up the mess at home before we can clean it up any where else...actions will always speak louder than words...and Hillary has been out there letting her actions and voice speak out loud and clear...

May the race begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're going to see greater use of the Net than ever before.

Our first female Presidente will be Hispanic. But before she is elected, we'll have our first African American President, who will be male.

Hillary is opening the way for many, many, many Moms, Sisters, Aunties, and Grandmas to enter all kinds of leadership positions. They will not all be Democrats, and they will not all see eye-to-eye with Hillary. The important thing is that they will even-out the Matriarchal-Patriarchal balance, and thus finally put a halt to the moral hemorrhage we're supporting with our taxes and young bodies - what I call "rogue warmongering."

So the next elected body which will be the surging of the Feminine into power, % by %, will support the movement of African wisdom into USA political leadership. Then the surge will continue, % by %, until the shift is made plain by the presence of a Feminine President.

We can expect our cabinet-level Dept. of Peace to materialize in accompaniment with the surging Matriarchal energy. How not?
I had thought it might be shaped like a Hexagon - but indeed, perhaps that's only part of it. Maybe it's a Mandala of shape-within- shape, and perhaps there is a "Beehive" or "Bee Skep" spiral that is part of it, or even the center. I wonder what others are "seeing."

You will see a hispanic male in office before you see a female of any race or a black of either gender in office.

You had to ask a question about the color of a persons skin?How immature.

Ah, Michelle - I beg to differ with you. In fact, I won't beg - I'll just differ. I'm already "seeing" what I posted above. And I'm also "seeing" that once the women of the world realize that only an equal balance of female and male power in leadership positions will stop the rogue warmongering insanity we're in worldwide, we will see MANY women leaders. It won't be that long. We're tired of murdered children and trashed neighborhoods. It won't be that long.

Power up, Ladies! Your time has arrived.

Hey, don't lump me into the peacenik pacifists cult just because I am female.

And if you want to get technical, women are by far the most responsible for murdered children than any group in history.