Thirded. I recently read “The Obama Doctrine,” and he comes across as the a wonderfully subtle but effective leader.
For all the mocking on the right of Pres. Obama being a “community organizer,” I hope we get more community organizers in the Oval Office. He organized world leaders.
Right this second, Barack Obama. Next Jan 20, Joe Biden. If Hillary keels over dead tonight, plan B is Biden, not Sanders. He would beat Trump like a rented mule.
If we want to bring fictional characters into the discussion, I would put forth President Bartlett from the West Wing. Recently began re-watching the series on NetFlix, and am reminded what an inspirational leader the character is.
Someone with the charisma and vision of JFK, the political pull of LBJ, the common sense of a Truman or Obama, and the daring of Teddy Roosevelt or Bernie Sanders. I doubt any such person exists, and all without the serious drawbacks of each. Although I think Obama would be easy to re-elect if that was allowed, but it’s mainly because of the weak opposition, and unfortunately he’s failed to inspire or break the congressional deadlock. We need Bernie Sanders but the country is not ready for him, his popularity now is as an alternative. Trump has the appeal of someone who isn’t part of the establishment game and has a record of real accomplishment in the dog-eat-dog world of business, but unfortunately as a politician he has become a rabble-rouser and his actual ability to govern is seriously questionable. Hillary is an unknown quantity as an executive, trying to fit the mold of Truman/Obama but she represents the lust for power embodied by the overly partisan party structure that makes our government so ineffective right now. This year represents a growing trend where the American people lose no matter who gets elected, Bush v. Dukakis, Bush v. Gore, Bush v. Kerry, and now Clinton v. Trump, given a true None-of-the-Above ballot choice we’d have to start the process over again.
You didn’t take a shot at Bill Clinton or Mitt Romney, but took a shot at Al Gore?
Near as I can tell, Al Gore was basically just Mitt Romney’s persona with Bill Clinton’s policies – only with, y’know, some military service, and more time in office.
I think Bush v Dukakis was between two guys who were well prepared for the presidency. Gore and Kerry were also well prepared and to my taste politically, as is Hillary. This business of “oh my God, woe is us, we lose either way” is nonsense. Hillary is ready to step into Obama’s shoes tomorrow.
I agree with BobLib, Kerry, Bush I, and Mrs. Clinton are all acceptable choices that don’t cause the “American people to lose.” We can’t judge everyone by comparing them to Obama, we’re not likely to see another POTUS that good for some time.
Obama not being available, and the idea of making it legally possible being fraught with dangerous fallout, I’d sleep pretty well if Jerry Brown took the chair. He was an idealistic joke in the 1970s, but idealism and brilliance tempered by another 30 years of political experience turned him into the governor California desperately needed and didn’t deserve.
