# I'm analyzing 2004 Democratic Presidential candidates, come on in and join the party! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350 "2002-07-17T04:59:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350/21 "2002-07-23T23:44:52Z")
I think this thread would feel more at home in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350/22 "2002-07-23T23:59:34Z")
Personally, I think I will just go back to voting for Dick Gregory like I’d done for many years. Dick is quite Green anyway, and no one will be able to blame me of course. I predict that some unknown will pop up around the last minute, some governor not many have heard of. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350/23 "2002-07-24T00:27:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broodha \* > \*\*Did anyone see **Howard Dean** on _Meet the Press_ on Sunday? I thought Russert put him through the ringer, but he stood up pretty well. He’s not a major leaguer yet, and I think Russert held off a bit. He’ll definitely get better with practice. > I’m afraid that all people will talk about with him are: > > - “universal health care” > - “gay marriage” > - “pro-NRA”\*\* I came away thinking Russert shredded Gov. Dean apart. In the 1st segment, HML Armey (from the opposite side of the political spectrum) handled every curve Russert threw. I guess if you can handle Janis Joplin, you can handle just about anything When Dean came on in the 2nd half of the show, what was most evident was his stumbling, fumbling and back-pedalling. Russert continually bashed him over the head for his **“it’s our fault the terrorists hate us”** comments from last September. No matter how hard the Gov. tried to squirm away from his idiotic statement, the persistant Meet the Press host wouldn’t allow it. Unlike Broodha, I think it’ll be his post 9/11 comments, not gay marriage or socialized medicine, that will be his political Achilles Heel. Side note: Can you name the one of the most media savvy Senators who absolutely refuses to appear with Russert? Fact is, since announcing and winning the seat, this Senator has wisely chosen to avoid hardballs all together. (Larrry King Live; fine…Meet The Press; No Way! Never appeared and probably never will). Maybe Gov. Dean should have followed Sen. Rodham’s lead. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350/24 "2002-07-24T01:23:31Z")
Why not Bill Bradley? I’d cross party lines to vote for him. ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350/25 "2002-07-24T01:58:38Z")
As idioitic as this must sound, I believe Al Gore would be the most entertaining of the Democtatic candidates. Think of the SNL and Leno possibilities. I believe the rest are unelectable, with too small a base and too little name recognition. Actually, unless the economy flatlines for the next two years or so, they’re all unelectable. 9/11 was the luckiest thing that could have happened to W. I believe the American people would have rallied around almost anyone who was US President at the time. W’s poll popularity rating on 9/10 was as low as 39%. And by 9/11 W had already completed his tax cut and education package and would have run on fumes for the next three years. But no. If the Dow hits 5,000, corporate corruption is pinned on W and the economy never really recovers by Labor Day 2004 (huge ifs), I think Gore has the only chance. He’s got the best name recognition, is the best organised, has the broadest base and perhaps enough believe he deserves a rematch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-analyzing-2004-democratic-presidential-candidates-come-on-in-and-join-the-party/119350.md?page=1)