It disgusts me that our Nation can not seem to find a person any of us truly believes in to run this country.
Most of the arguments I see on the board lately make it clear that no one is particularly happy with the choices we are presented.
I could go on for pages on why neither one of these men should be allowed the keys to this country and even more why nader or some other options that appear briefly in the news are no more sensible a choice than these other buffoons.
So what the hell do we do?
Surely there is someone among our 240 million some citizens that is worthy of leading this country.
We are not required to choose our president from the republicans, democrats, or any other party. Lets find someone we can ALL endorse and feel comfortable with. Anyone?
Lets get some suggestions for people who we actually would LIKE to vote into our capitol, someone we will be proud of to have in that seat instead of the shame and embarrassment many of us feel now or have felt before because of the corruptness or simple ineptitude of those we keep placing there.
I’d settle for a paragraph, but you didn’t even give us that.
To assist in having a debate, you’ll have to describe what traits both candidates have or lack that makes you dislike them.
I don’t know it seems like the trend now a-days is to vote ‘against’ one candiate then for anyone.
I really noticed this in 2000 everyone was talking about voting against Gore or against Bush. Seems like now that we have journalists seeking and broadcasting every mistake or screw up they make they don’t seem like the leaders we had in the past.
No matter who is nominated you’ll always have a few points you disagree with in the person’s platform so the best you can do is find someone that you agree with part of the time.
That’s not true.
Sure, but someone that smart knows he (or she) doesn’t want the job. Do you want to put yourself under the media spotlight 24/7, while your political enemies throw allegations of bestial infidelity with Communist pack animals, and your only hope of raising enough money to sustain a campaign is to kowtow to money-loaded corporations and/or interest groups?
The moment your ideal candidate takes a position on something, someone else will come along and argue why he shouldn’t have the job because of that view. The only way your fantasy would work out is if we were all so like-minded that democracy wouldn’t be necessary anyway.
You’re living in a country with several billion voters. Finding someone half of that group can tolerate is tricky enough – finding someone all of that group can love is nigh-impossible.
Man, I really need to keep up with the population stats. 
Several billion?
I didn’t realize the Bush amnesty had gone that far.
rjung nailed it: Anyone smart enough to do the job well is smart enough to know he doesn’t want the job.
Look at Colin Powell- after the first Gulf War, just about everybody (on both sides of the aisle) was calling for him to run for President, but Powell said, in no uncertain terms, something like “You couldn’t pay me enough to be President”.
I am not really expecting to find a new candidate so much as I just wonder who people would choose to be president if say for instance you had the ability to name a person to the job who would it be?
It would be great if we could find someone that we at least would all respect enough to want in the job, but I would settle for some reasoned alternatives to the current foul crop. Not necessarily politicians even, although if someone says ahhhnold I think I may cry.
Well I agree that there has been much posted to this board in the way of specific reasons why some people think George W. Bush is a terrible president and why he should not be reelected.
But where are the supposedly numerous negative threads about Kerry? The worst he gets is a little damning with faint praise. Frankly, I think Kerry is an excellent candidate; I’ve grown to like him more and more as I’ve followed his campaign closely over the past month. He is dependable and competent: two words I would never dream of applying to Bush. Kerry is not the most inspiring speaker in terms of sheer bravado charisma, but he has a lot of great things to say and he knows what he is talking about. I have no hesitation in supporting him.
So let’s hear some specifics, especially since they’re lacking re: John Kerry.
To be clear, I’m looking for substantial criticism beyond the type I’ve seen around similar to something like “I dunno, he just seems kinda sleazy for some reason I can’t put my finger on, and I have nothing specific to back the vague feeling up either.”
And something other than the trumped-up bullshit about an “intern” and the others about Jane Fonda.
Or are you really going to hold it against someone who–30 years ago as an idealistic 20-something–raged publicly against a war that has been broadly recognized as horrifically unjust?
Give Kerry a chance and he will earn your support.
Quint, you’re starting from the premise that everybody thinks the current options for President suck. I sure don’t.
There’s only one person I agree with 100% on every issue: me. I’m not only too young to run, I’m not really interested in doing the work and dispositionally, I’m not suited to politics. So I have to pick someone who I agree with on some important things, who I respect (you’re right that that’s important), and whose judgment I trust. I have no problem with that.
Even if you could find somebody EVERYone likes, I’m not sure that would be a good thing. How could you manage to have principles and agree with everybody at the same time? I think compromise is important, but not everything has to be one.
I’m going to vote for John Kerry in the primary here, and I’ll be more than happy to vote for him in November assuming he is the nominee.
Michael Moore, Al Franken, any Clinton, or Al Sharpton, just to drive the conservatives apeshit.
Seriously, if I were to “play nice,” how about former L.A. mayor Richard Riordan? Moderate-minded Republican, works well with others, proven experience. Still can’t wonder why the California GOP picked Bill Simon over him. In a similar vein, Peter Uberroff might be a good choice. Or a John McCain/Wesley Clark ticket…
(might want to spin this into a separate thread, if this goes on)
I’d vote for rjungs John McCain/Wesley Clark ticket in a heart beat. Really McCain and anyone. 
I know he’s not exactly ‘national’ in scope, but what about New Mexico’s Governor, Bill Richardson? I’ve voted for him and I really like the man, having met him several times. I think he’s got some very good ideas, and he has a lot of appeal in the hispanic community.
Anyway, I find this election as unappealing as the last one unfortunately. I think we are down to, once again, the lesser of two evils. Most folks I know are voting against one candidate or the other (mostly against Bush to be honest) not FOR either candidate. Thats pretty sad IMO. I wish that such things would cause folks to seriously look to the third parties, but I seem to be highly in the minority on this subject.
-XT
How can no one mention John Edwards?
He’s getting some talk as a potential VP nominee.
rjung, you do realize Clark and McCain disagree about almost everything, right? It’d probably end in a death struggle… which would be very interesting to watch, but if you’re tired of partisan fighting now, I’m not sure it’ll help.
Dear Group Mind,
<weary>sigh!</weary>
Following this debate. The question seems to boil down to: why aren’t there ever any candidates that you’d trust to baby-sit your kids, let alone run your country?
Gather round, young 'uns, and let’s learn about human nature. Now, can anybody here think of one job they have where all of their management team are sterling examples of leadership? I doubt it. The norm is the dreaded “pointy-haired boss”, mythologized in Dilbert: clueless idiot.
Because people of integrity and character don’t crave outrageous power. People of humble virtues don’t lust after riches. The odd fluke may occur, and somebody might notice a Prince Charming and promote him to king, but even then, they seem to prefer to stay down in the trenches.
No, the powerful are the ones who were willing to sacrifice everything in their quest for that power. And the weasels of this world tend to promote other weasels, to cover their backs.
Now, when’s the last time you saw somebody run for President who wasn’t rich? You HAVE to be rich, in order to win. You have to be able to master the airwaves, manipulate the media, be charismatic enough to encourage a cult following. We substitute a contest of strength with a contest of back-stabbing, mud-slinging, hell-for-leather immorality, and then complain when the guy who turns out to be the best at being a turd continues to be a turd after he’s in office.
Want a change? Let’s try a black candidate, or a woman. Let’s hold a lottery. Hell, let’s ignore it. We’re not the first country to lose all resemblance of control over how they are governed, and we won’t be the last. It is too late to fix it.
Peace and Love be with you,
Hosiah
Because we don’t all think the same. Isn’t this, I don’t know, stunningly obvious?
Change the voting method to something that will allow for a greater diversity of opinion (that the people have) to be reflected in Congress.
Again, the issue of worthiness is subjective, and we don’t all agree on anything.
Take your pick…