An Open Question... A answer please!

Right now I don't think there really is a good candidate for President...I don't care what party...We keep hearing Newt Gingrich will run if someone qualified doesn't step up...I can't see me voting for him either.

I think technically you're old enough to run Shun...go for it.

well, I haven't heard about what Ron Paul said yet, so I'm definitely going to have to look into it because I was leaning in his direction as well. As for Gore, while I respect and applaud his work with getting the word out about our environmental issues, I never really thought he was as smart as he did. I saw him as somebody who always thought he was the smartest man in the room and therefore, if elected President, would have surrounded himself with people who wouldn't threaten his high opinion of himself and that is a bad move if you ask me. I may be wrong, it was just my impression of him and why I didn't vote for him in the primaries. Of course I had no other choice but to vote for him rather than the awful alternative once he won the nomination.

As for Rudi - didn't you get the memo?? He knows all about how to deal with terrorists because he was the mayor when the towers came down! How dare you question his foreign policy? (before you all start tearing into me, that was a joke folks)

My sentiment exactly.

LOL....!

That is one ugly woman.
He ain't much prettier out of drag either.

The easy answer is that in the history of the presidency, the people give the post a bye when it comes to elections. Presidents are made on domestic issues. Bush was not reelected because of his foreign policies. It was on the promise to keep the homeland secure (at least they didn't say fatherland).

A president shouldn't have to be foreign policy wonk. A president should be smart enough to have all kinds of wonks in his or her service while being wise enough to know the difference between good advice and wise decisions.

There remains a moral/ ethical gap between the apotheosis of a president and the named candidates. Its not really a matter of who knows the names of countries and their leaders.

I am not sure of what Ron Paul did but I know I cant support someone who goes around saying he wants to demolish things that he has presented no alternative plan for.

Currently I am at odds because despite his ability to stick his foot in his mouth I really like Biden.

Romney lost me with supporting sending more troops to Iraq but then saying that his 5 sons are supporting their country not by military service but by helping him get elected.

I always liked McCain, wish he would have won in 2000. But his is pandering far too much and well you know his campaign is already in trouble.

Guliani.....I think to reply to your comment about relating our liberties with his wives.....how closely related are we to those liberties???Cousins or closer?

Clinton is pandering also and to bickersome with Barack who is bickering back.

Edwards I am undecided on.

I like Biden's platform. I dont think he will make it as the Democratic candidate but I would love to see his as like Secretary of State.

Sparten,

I think Rudi having the courage to appear in drag is one of the points in his favor. He certainly wouldn't make it as profressional female impersonator.

Rudi wouldn't have made it as a professional...LOL

George Bush has a low IQ. Barack Obama does not.

Oh Sheeesh! Rudi puts the emergency center in the WTC even AFTER the first attack. New Yorkers hate him more than people who haven't suffered under his leadership. The man's certifiable and as soon as he tied his flag to Geo. II's illegal occupation he was doomed (IMO).

To the question - lack of foreign policy experience? It's not exactly unheard of. Just a talking point brought up by those WITH foreign policy experience. There have been MANY Presidents without foreign policy experience . . .

Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~

Ron Paul is definitely the man.

As for the foreign policy...look where Bush took us. We shouldn't make the same mistake twice. There is no difference between Bush and Barack on foreign policy...it's almost indistinquishable. Bomb Iran...bomb Pakistan...bomb anyone and anything that gets in our' march toward global subjugation and unfettered dominance.

We only have the worst of the worst to choose from.

Shun:

Yes, lots of good comments. But where does it say, or has it ever said "experience" was a pre-requisite for Prez? Then, too, who determines what "experience" is? It's been my "experience" that you must have already HAD a particular position before you might tout,

"...uh, uh, experience! experienced-one over here."

From what I know, none of the candidates -- Democrat or Republican -- has ever been the President of the United States. So, where is all this "experience" coming in. Nobody can say what that job in going to be like until they step into those shoes, and "experience" it, firsthand.

That's what Obama means when he says Bill Clinton has the "experience" to be President, but Hillary?!

I agree, there has been a special double standard applied to Barack Obama. A lot of it has to do with his immediate opposition to Hillary Clinton, who is running on the idea that she has seriousness and experience, and represents the establishment opinion. Frankly, the establishment opinion has been proven reliably wrong. I think Obama's right.

As for Ron Paul, well, I suggest you take a closer look at his opposition to dealing with global warming, and his downright right wing attitude when it comes to restricting reproductive rights - straight from the moment of conception.

Ron Paul is pro-life, yes, and obviously doesn't recognize any absurd 'right' to destroy your' children.

Prior to moving to OH 3 years ago, I spent ~20 years living in and around NYC. That said, I CANNOT STAND RUDY! And I know I am not alone - just ask anyone in NYC what Rudy's poll numbers were like on Sept. 10, 2001. Hell, ask any member of the NYPD or FDNY what was the fundamental problem on 9/11 and they'll tell you "lack of communication" and that brings us back to Rudy (he consistantly cut funding for improving communication devices for the NYPD and FDNY.)

He was zero experience with foreign policy (in fact, problems between NYC and the UN almost came to a boiling point while he was in office) but for whatever reason, people love him. He has the morals of an alley cat (he dumped his 2nd wife via press conference!), he's self-righteous, flipped his position on MANY points so he would be "electable" by the conservative Right.

I just don't understand the infatuation with him. *grrr*

Mary

PS: Even though I'm trying my best not to, I'm laughing at the comment Deborah B. made about "cousins". (For anyone who doesn't know, Rudy's first wife was his 1st cousin... ewww)

Yes that is quite stomach churning Mary...

Strangely, the drag photo makes me like Giuliani a little better. It sets him apart from the ultraconservatives, anyway. Although I still wouldn't vote for him.

I'd forgotten about W referring to the nation of Africa. There are just too many slip-ups like that to keep them all stored in the "seriously angry" wing of my brain.

I know it could possibly drive one mad Kris!

Who ever said that politics was really about experience. My personal opinion is that the majority of those running are doing so for one of three reasons. The really experienced politicians are in it for the money not the paycheck but the benies they can manage. The ones with a name but no experience are looking for the fame, a chance to be in the history books. The ones with no name and no experience are dreamers who really believe they can make a difference. Unfortunately they are few and far between in Washington and will get eaten alive.

I am inclined to agree with you Ida.

My fear is that the third group, the dreamers who really believe they can make a difference, get to Washington only to find out that they are swimming upstream against the good ol boy network and aren't able to achieve anything. They either drop off in frustration or get assimilated. That is why I'm such an advocate for term limits!

Mary, as a lifelong New Yorker...your' take on Rudolf is right on the money.

I just read the 31 comments before me. I see 31 very GOOD reasons for voting for Dr Ron Paul.

I notice no one mentioned the NAU or the NAFTA highway - the most important issue in the history of this country.

Colnel - By NAU do you mean the North American Union or North Arizona University? Either way I hate to say that I dont have enough detail on either one to have an opinon, but I will be doing some research...not on North Arizona University.

But back to the NAU and NAFTA highway being the most important issue in the history of this country, are you for real on that?

I mean :
The Revolution and founding of this country.
The Constitution
Isolationism
Breaking of Isolationism
Genocide of the Native Americans
Sewards Folley
The Civil War
The Great Depression
The New Deal
WWI
WWII
Korea
Vietnam
Panama
Dessert Storm
The Patriot Act - dont you know real patriots roled over intheir grave at that one.
Cuban Missile Crisis
Space Exploration
Civil Rights Movements
and oh so much more!

rudi"s lack of real morales,hillary"s lack of a real soul,gore are you kidding his wife was the head of the p.m.r.c. , obama future uncertain-seems nice though, richardson one of the "gang" don"t trust him, romney- don"t trust christians especialy mormons,mccain i just don"t like him, ron paul-good answer good answer[daily show]. don"t know enough about other candidates, any way you go though you choose you lose, at the best you get another jimmy carter vs. congress debacle.

Well in a candidate I want a resume, I want someone who walks the walk as well as talks the talk, I want someone who wont pander so much, I want someone who will protect our liberties, I want someone who cares about the average american, not just the wealthy ones, I want someon who will speak to this country as if we are capable of understanding what is going on, I want someone who will accept responsibility, I want someone who knows a fact or two about foreign leaders, foreign policy, and can act...........PRESIDENTIAL.

I want Harry Truman.

Any man who carries a copy of the Constitution in his pocket gets my attention; Kunich has my interest so far. Paul is not out of my interest, but I will have to research more if he actually makes it to a point where he is a viable candidate.

I'm scared that our politics is so out of whack that any truly good candidate will be out of the running. America needs a reform to quash, (I LOVE that word!), the two party system and our first past the post mentality needs to be eliminated. All citizens deserve a voice in a representative democracy and we are far from that. When citizens have to vote for the lesser of two evils we are in real trouble.

I don't think that Al Gore is so arrogant that he would not take the advice of his cabinet. Quite the contrary. I feel, however, that he is intelligent enough to have ticked off many Americans who aren't as smart as he is. His charisma exudes confidence as well as arrogance, but I don't believe deep down that is his style. He is passionate about our world, our country and its people; I don't believe that he will run though.

I'm afraid I can't answer that one.