What is the most likely Democrat - Republican face-off in 2008?

[Democratic Hawk]

I've voted moderate Democrat versus conservative Republican

Dave

[Umengus]

i would say populist democrat vs moderate republican (but what's a moderate? )

[No more McShame]

Liberal vs. Conservate.  Gotta win the primaries to be the candidate.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Liberal Democrat vs. Frist, who is loved and cherished by all Americans!

[M]

I'm hoping moderate on moderate. But realistically, moderate GOP v Mad Lib is more likely.

[No more McShame]

Liberal Democrat vs. Frist, who is loved and cherished by all Americans!

I don't see Frist with the charisma to do it.  I have a lot of respect for him and would certainly vote for him in a general election, I just think we have more electable conservatives out there.  Also, we need to nominate a Governor.  John F Kennedy was the last Senator elected to the presidency.  Long time.

My choice.....   Gov. Bill Owens (R-CO)

[opebo]

There's absolutely no chance a moderate Republican can get through the primaries.  You-know-who controls that process.

A moderate Democrat is much more likely, but still not all that likely.

[MODU]

You-know-who controls that process.

Yeah, the people.

[12th Doctor]

Hillary Clinton vs George Pitaki 

[Giant Saguaro]

It's really too early for this, but what I think is that there is a lot room for a conservative or liberal who talks like a moderate. That, right now, is my guess as to what both will go for, the Democrats much more so probably, because they've been getting killed in recent years. The Dem will have to be closer to the center, though, because people just aren't buying the social and cultural agenda of the party right now.

[© tweed]

liberal populist v. conservative

[Beet]

centrist/conservative vs. conservative

[CARLHAYDEN]

I've voted moderate Democrat versus conservative Republican

Dave

Keep an eye on Mark R. Warner (Govenor of Virginia).

He's the best hope the Democrats have for 2008.

[Beet]

I've voted moderate Democrat versus conservative Republican

Dave

Keep an eye on Mark R. Warner (Govenor of Virginia).

He's the best hope the Democrats have for 2008.

Winning in Virginia as a Democrat is impressive enough. He is up for re-election next year no?

[A18]

You can't have more than one consecutive term here, so no, he's not up for reelection. His lt. governor will be running.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Liberal Democrat vs. Frist, who is loved and cherished by all Americans!

you're on crack.

[Defarge]

Moderate Democrat versus conservative Republican.  Whereas the Democrats will be scrambling to get the White House, Republicans will complacently choose a conservative Republican, after 8 years of having one.  Unless Guiliani wins.  Or possibly Pataki

[Nym90]

Moderate Democrat versus conservative Republican.  Whereas the Democrats will be scrambling to get the White House, Republicans will complacently choose a conservative Republican, after 8 years of having one.  Unless Guiliani wins.  Or possibly Pataki

I agree. The Democrats are more likely to go back to the middle. The GOP has no incentive whatsoever to move to the center, and will move right, emboldened by their victory.

Whoever Bush supports will probably win the GOP nomination, however, unless he chooses to stay out of the process.

[CARLHAYDEN]

His big problem is his Lt. Gov. and the sucession.

First, if he fails to install his Lt. Gov. in the election, it will hurt his credibility.

Second, if he does suceed in installing his Lt. Gov. and the clown messes up, it will hurt Warner.

If he can surmount these two hurdles, he can begin laying the foundation for a sucessful nomination campaign

[A18]

There's a GOP Assembly here, so he can just blame it on them.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

There's absolutely no chance a moderate Republican can get through the primaries. 

I agree, but for different reasons.  The GOP is getting cocky, and unless they get a b*tch-slap in midterms, they are going to feel invincible, and run out an ultra-conservative ideologue.

The Democrats will return to what works: Southern moderates.  Or maybe a Midwestern Moderate.  If they get hungry enough, they'll do whatever it takes to get the White House back, even if it means enduring another 4-8 years of sensible policy and economic growth ;-).

Frist is pretty conservative.  Maybe Frist vs. Bayh.

Bayh would win, no contest, IMHO.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Lets look at the recent record (last previous elected office before seeking the Presidency):

                                        Win                         Lose

Vice-President                  Bush (88)               Gore (00)
                                        Nixon (68)               Mondale (84)
                                                                       Nixon (60)
                                                                       Humphrey (68)

Govenor                           Bush (00)               Dukakis (88)
                                        Clinton (92)            Stevenson (56)
                                        Reagan (80)           Stevenson (52)
                                        Carter (76)             Dewey (48)

Senator                           Kennedy (60)          Kerry (04)
                                                                       Dole (96)
                                                                       McGovern (72)
                                                                       Goldwater (64)

US Represenative           None                       Furd (76)

None                               Eisenhower (52)

The media has a bizarre prediliction for Senate candidates for the Presidency.

The track record favors Govenors.

[ATFFL]

US Represenative           None                       Furd (76)

Furd?

[CARLHAYDEN]

US Represenative           None                       Furd (76)

Furd?

Its an old joke.

The Ford campaign was so messed up in 1976 that some literature went out with his name spelled Furd.

I admit to having a lot of contempt for Ford .

[MODU]

I do not mind Mark Warner running.  If he can pull in an equally moderate democrat (or Republican) as a running mate, he'd be an interesting choice.