Talk Elections

who is more electable?  (assuming ford wins in tn)

id say harold ford would be the better presidential candidate.

Ford=Substance, Obama=Charisma

Thus Obama would probably be the better selection to win over the American populace.

and as much as i hate to say it, obama's name would hurt.

1.  it is too....ethnic
2.  too similar to osama.

that may be silly, but it is the truth.

Ford is moderate, but he has to be in TN to hav any chance of winning.
Don't know much about Obama, but I hear he's very liberal, which is probably why he won in a deep blue state IL.

Ford would be more able to bridge the gap between liberals and conservatives

Yet, Bush is let off the hook?

Probably Ford.  Obama is too liberal.

How about an all black ticket in 2012 or 2016?  Ford/Obama.

After generations of being the Democrats most loyal and most taken for granted constituency, it's the least the Democrats could do.

I would never vote for Ford. I'd vote for Giuliani over him.

Here's my opinion of the two:
I could vote for Ford
I would duck for cover and run if Obama was president

Ford.  I know Id support Ford over Obama and Im a pretty big Obama fan.

Good point, Mitty.

Ford, though both would be excellent.

Ford.  Obama is more fluff when you take away the polished showman and compare the two men for who they are.

Whys Ford so good? He has no idea what its like for real people, he went to an elite private school in Washington DC where he grew up and he comes from a family which is both corrupt and dont hold other jobs but elected office. He is too conservative and anti bill of rights.

Ford = Prowar = no chance in hell in the primary.

That's the only type of Democrat that Conservatives can stomach.

Obama is the MOST skilled orator I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Ford is a bit too sleazy for my liking.

Both would make strong candidates…

 IF they had a term or two in the senate under their belts (though Ford's had plenty of time in the House... so would be well placed with less time in the senate, if he got there, than Obama)...

…however Obama is a great speaker and while a pretty mainstream democrat ideologically, is an expert at couching his language and framing his arguments in a way that appeals to moderate, middle of the road voters... geographically he'd need a southern or western running mate, probably a moderate governor (Ritter? Richardson?). Ford is a less gifted orator, however he would have a strong base geographically and poetically and would probably have more freedom in who his running mate was.

Overall they’d both make excellent candidates, I’d probably prefer Ford on balance but Obama would also be excellent (with the right campaign and the right running mate)… however it does rather depend on if Ford can get elected in Tennessee (still very much “up in the air”).

Though at present I could see Obama running for president at some stage in the medium term and he could be a very strong candidate… though I wouldn’t put it past the DNC to foul it up.


Wow... sounds like a Kerry, Bush, Kennedy or a Daley to me (lol), not that any of them are any worse than most other politcos in the country... disliking Ford for being a conservative democrat is one thing, but its hard to smear him as corrupt...   

obamas middle name is hussein?

president barack hussein obama?

i dont think thatll fly.  again, maybe it is unfair, but that is the way the world turns.

That's his real middle name? Wow, that is unfortunate...at least for a politician.

I like them both! Alot. Either would work for me. I met Ford last spring and had a chance to hear him speak..........he definately kicks.

Didn't seem to hurt him in IL where he got 70% of the vote.

Ford would do better across the country but he would never win a national democratic nomination.

....against alan keyes.

Obama is a champion of the stage, and holds many of the views common to the Democratic Party, especiialy on the war. Obama also has a cool "I feel your pain" story to deliver to the middle class, where as Ford has, as mentioned, no such story. Obama definetly would get the party nod first and with the right VP candidate (Obama/Gore?) could be placed in a just fine position for the election.

Conan, have fun nominating Hillary Clinton or Howard Dean

Wow, just imagine if all Democrats were Conan, thinking all radical left-wingers are going to win, even one's who have committed crimes.

That would help the GOP a whole lot

Before everyone says I am the same, I do not hate moderates I hate people who bash the party, and Ford is a big critic of the president.  He is an asset to the party, not a danger like Lincoln Chafee is the Republicans.

First of all I also like Ben Nelson. Second of all I want Mark Warner to be the nominee in 2008. Hillary Clinton believe it or not isnt a radical left winger. These candidates can win too anyway. You just have to have the money, charisma, and personality. John Kerry came off as waspy and was smeared. Gore wasnt being charismatic and didnt have as much money as Bush. You have to be a superstar in the GOP to win nationally. Now you only have McCain and Giuliani. After that, you better hope you have someone else.

After that, nothing else is worth listening too, the GOP has great candidates that they could nominate, all the Dems great candidates never would be nominated.

Who are these candidates? Just 2 that could win. McCain and Giuliani.

Assuming we are talking 2012 or 2016...
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Barack Obama, provided he nominates a moderate Democratic governor from a southern or western state (Mark Warner, Brian Schweitzer, Bill Ritter, Jr.).  Such a ticket would undoubtably be formidable.

While I like Harold Ford, Jr. and wouldn't mind having him as my senator, he is too conservative to win the Democratic nomination.  There is no doubt in my mind that he would fare about as well as Gene Taylor or some other conservative southern Democrat if they were striving to become their party's presidential standard bearer. 

Still...if your point is people won't vote for him because he has an ethnic name 70% of the state proves that wrong.

Depends your standard:
Unbeatable:
Guilliani and McCain

This is saying that absolutley no Democrat could beat Giulliani or McCain

Good Chance:
Huckabee, Condi Rice, Romney, Hagel, Frist, Hagel

Could Win Against Hillary or Other Wacko Leftist:
Tancredo, Gingrich

The GOP has a large list of candidates who could win, but only Guilliani and McCain are unbeatable.

Of course to be of the left or a liberal one must be insane.

Anyway.

Huckabee is definitely a personable guy and could be quite attractive electorally.

Gingrich would be ripped apart - only the hard right has time for him now.

Rice would be a bad move for the Reps - she wouldn't be able to win the deep south (call it "ignorance" on my part).

Romney could do it

Frist will go down as the kitty killer

I like Hagel and he could win.

The problem is that the primary structure is run by the right and a moderate like McCain and Hagel would have trouble... let alone a liberal like Guiliani (yes... for a Rep (who lists Bobby Kennedy as a political hero... read his book he does) he is a liberal).

The problem is once McCain started to pander the hard right, he started losing credibility, let alone standing with Bush.

The BEST chance the Reps have in 2008 is someone who was either publicily critical of Bush or someone who was not a national player.

I like both of them fine, but I think Obama would make a better President. Obama/Ford might even be a great ticket.

Obama has more star power and a stronger base within the Democratic Party.

Obama.

Obama and he needs to run now!

You get no where in politics if you wait your turn.  And Obama seems to me to be the only Democrat who can take out Hillary.  Moreover, though I've previously been partial to candidacies like that of Mark Warner--reasonable, consenus-building moderates, just as much, if not more can be accomplished with the type of inspiring leadership Obama offers. 

The biggest obstacle to any Democratic president, though, is the McCain juggernaut.  Some say McCain is too moderate for the GOP nomination but he's quickly accumulating more and more establishment support.  He's going to have tons and tons of money and I just don't see a GOPer who's going to have the power to rally forces against him at this point.

If McCain's the nominee, I think Obama could still make it competitive.  In fact, I think he's probably the ONLY Democrat who could hold off McCain.  But I'd much rather have him wait if McCain's a sure thing on the GOP side.

As for running mates for Obama, I'm partial to a Kansas ticket w/ Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as VP. 

Unfortunately I think it's still too early for Obama. Plus there are other Democrats who could beat Hillary, especially Gore (who I still think will run, no matter how many times he denies it).

I wonder what the odds are on a Gore/Obama ticket..........

^^^^^^

Haha, that's why I thought he'd lose the senate race in 2004.

Ford's positions render him more electable, but Obama is a far better public speaker.

I like both a lot, but I prefer Obama. Call it home state bias :)

That will change if Ford can get them a senate seat in a state that is disinclined to.

Why is reply #45 by Tredrick reading "Osama or Ford?" and not "Obama or Ford?"

Never mind, I know.

I was wondering if anyone would notice.  Congrats on doing so.

I like both. I don't know about president but VP in 08. Yep.......on both or either.

I've seen Ford speak and it was WOW! I would love to see Obama speak in person but the timing has not been right yet.........:)

If Ford can do it in TN then we can do it in 08!!!!!

This is one of the best predictions I've seen but you still underestimated Obama :)

Damn, I guess he beat me for earliest Obama beats McCain prediction.

Ford by far.

Ford/Sebelius VS McCain/Palin

()

lol. McCain with huge amounts of cash. Obama would never has much money as McCain. Oh, the irony.

Fantastic.

Obama, since Ford would fail to energize the Democratic base by being a ConservaDem, while failing to attract too many GOP voters due to his skin color.