2008 Candidates Of The Week #2

[Moooooo]

2008 Presidential CANDIDATES OF THE WEEK #2 (3/8/05 - 3/15/05)

Democrat:  Senator Joe Biden (Delaware)



Bio:  Joe Biden's Senate responsibilities are primarily in Washington, D.C, but at night he comes home to his family in Delaware. Throughout his career as our Senator he has made his home in Delaware, he has raised his children here, and now he has the pleasure of seeing his grandchildren grow and thrive in the same down-home Delaware environment.

So it is no accident that so much of Joe Biden's work as a Senator focuses on family — a prescription drug program for older Delawareans; a Patients' Bill of Rights to enable all of us to receive the health care we need when we need it; laws to make corporations that pollute our air and water pay a stiff penalty; a $12,000 tuition tax deduction to help families send their children to college for the education the 21st century demands; pension reform to make sure our retirement savings are there when we need them; and, privacy laws to give us the last word about who is to share our families' most personal, most confidential information concerning medical care and family finances.

(rest of bio: http://www.joebiden.com/aboutJoe.php )

HOTTT Button Issues:

Abortion: Pro-Choice (Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions.)
(http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Joe_Biden.htm )

Gun Control: Pro-Gun Control.  Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record.  (http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Joe_Biden.htm )

Tax Cuts: Against Bush’s cuts.  (http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Joe_Biden.htm )

War in Iraq: Voted YES on $86.5 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003), Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq.  Now opposes the way the Bush administration has handled the War in Iraq.  (http://www.issues2000.org/2004/Wesley_Clark_War_+_Peace... )

(more issues: http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Joe_Biden.htm )

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Republican: Governor George Pataki (New York)



Bio:  Gov. George E. Pataki has had a life of diverse experiences that have led him from a small farm nestled along the Hudson River to the tumultuous Yale campus of the 1960s to the Governor's Mansion in Albany.
During his nearly eight year tenure as New York's 53rd chief executive, Governor Pataki has spoken often of the inherent greatness of the individual. Indeed, the policies he has fought for are all based on the fundamental principle that a strong society is built upon a spirit that springs to life when men and women enjoy, embrace, and exercise freedom in the pursuit of personal greatness - individually, but not independently of one another.
(rest of bio: http://georgepataki.com/gp_docs/about/ )

HOTTT Button Issues:

Abortion: Claims to be Pro-Choice, but record states otherwise.  (http://www.wcla.org/articles/pataki.html )

Gun Control: Pro-Gun Control (http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/3/16/164436 )

Tax Cuts: Pro-Tax Cuts.  Implement socially fair, broad-based tax cuts. Sep 1998. (http://ontheissues.org/George_Pataki.htm )

War in Iraq: Pro-War (http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/sep/03gop1.htm )

(more issues:  http://ontheissues.org/George_Pataki.htm )

[Moooooo]

For each candidate…

1.)   Will they run?
2.)   Can they receive their party’s nomination?
3.)   How would they do in the general election?
4.)   Who would win in a head to head dual between this week’s candidates? (Map's?!?!?)
5.)   What is your overall assessment of both candidate

[Rob]

1. Biden- definitely. Pataki- likely.
2. Biden- yes. Pataki- no.
3. Biden- good. Pataki- good.
4. The map:



Biden wins 280-258.
5. Biden- good. Pataki- decent.

[TomC]

Jeez, we haven't seen this little charisma since 1988, and even then...

1. Biden will run but drop out very early and endorse Clinton. Pataki will not run.

2. Biden could win the Dem nomination. Pataki could not.

3-5. Biden vs. Pataki- Biden would get over 300 in the general- much like the map above, but add Florida, NH, Colo, Nev to Biden.

Overall- Boring. Biden can be affable, but I don't believe the cameras treat him well. Plus, he's often talking out loud without thinking. There would be tons of gaffes, but people would generally warm up to him. Pataki would lose 3-5% of the Republican base, who would stay home.

[AuH2O]

I've previously noted my opposition to maps. In this hypothetical matchup I would favor Pataki very slightly but anticipate a serious threat from a 3rd party candidate running right of Pataki; were that to materialize, Biden would win.

Neither is a particularly great candidate, though Biden is the more intelligent of the two for whatever that's worth (not much).

Being strongly anti-2nd Amendment is a serious handicap, by the way, that Kerry worked very hard to get around- but Biden would have almost no means of even making a feeble attempt.

[Cashcow]

Joe Biden is a great man and would make an excellent president.

[TomC]

Joe Biden is a great man and would make an excellent president.

I agree, but I'm not convinced he'd make a great candidate. I'd vote for him, probably with more enthusiasm than any candidate for Pres other than Gore.

[Notre Dame rules!]

I agree that Biden will run, but only to run static for Hillary.  He will try to draw campaign money away from other anti-Hillary candidates, then bow out once she has amassed an unbeatable war chest.  He wants to be Hillary's SecState.  He can't win the Presidency, even if he was able to win the nomination.  One word: plagiarism.

As for Pataki, you know what they say about middle of the roaders, they get run over.  To be that politically centered, e can't have too many core convictions.  Voters still like their candidates to believe in something, even if they may personally disagree with them.  He stands NO chance of winning the nomination.

[Sam Spade]

1.  Biden, likely; Pataki, likely
2.  Biden, yes; Pataki, no
3.  Biden, ok; Pataki, badly
4.  Biden easily.  Probably could win 350 EV or more, because Pataki would face a strong 3rd-party challenge from the right.
5.  Biden, good; Pataki, ok guy, terrible candidate

Pataki has the charisma of a dead bullfrog.  This one's no contest honestly.

[MHS2002]

1.)   Will they run?
Biden: probably
Pataki: maybe, depends on how the rest of his time in office goes
2.)   Can they receive their party’s nomination?
Biden: probably
Pataki: not a chance
3.)   How would they do in the general election?
Biden: average chance due to the whole plagarism thing
Pataki: would lose due to a challenge from the right or the Republican base would stay home
4.)   Who would win in a head to head dual between this week’s candidates? (Map's?!?!?)
Biden beats Pataki due to a challenege from the right
5.)   What is your overall assessment of both candidate
Biden: some skeletons in the closet prevent him from really making a meaningful run
Pataki: he's not getting out of the primary, period

[skybridge]

There's one terrible pilot.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Biden is definitely more conservative than you have.
Pataki is more conservative on economic issues.

1. Both probably not
2. Both probably not
3. Not so great, they don't excite the base
4. Pataki wins 272-266
5. Biden is crappy, Pataki's only hope is a crappy Democratic nominee.

[No more McShame]

For each candidate…

1.)   Will they run?
2.)   Can they receive their party’s nomination?
3.)   How would they do in the general election?
4.)   Who would win in a head to head dual between this week’s candidates? (Map's?!?!?)
5.)   What is your overall assessment of both candidate

1) Biden probably.  Pataki doubtful
2) Biden yes.  Pataki no.
3) Ask me in 3 years
4) If held today Biden wins 274-264. Biden wins Kerry states + CO, IA, NM, & OH - NH & NJ.
5) Biden would have a lot of work to do on name recognition being a Senator from a small state.  Governors have historically done better than Senators in general elections.  However, Pataki's star has fallen the last few years and would lose reelection in 2006 if unintelligent enough to even run.  Pataki would lose his own state in this election.  Turnout would be depressed as I don't see the large portion of the electorate excited over this matchup.