It’s hard for me to believe that anyone has to hold their nose to vote for a candidate in this election, especially when compared to recent previous ones. But there it is, in black and white. People refer to a candidate as the “lesser of evils” as if this is an election just like any other, and they can’t really find a candidate they like.
If you don’t like any of the candidates in this election, who WOULD you want to vote for? We have candidates for people who want a legitimate war hero, a charismatic and inspiring intelligent young person, a return to the booming mid-late 90s economy, a powerful woman, a minority, an elder statesman…I can’t actually think of any positive political adjective that you couldn’t find in at least one of the three major candidates. This is the most exciting presidential election ever, right?! We get to vote for people we actually WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT, and don’t have to vote AGAINST anyone as our only priority. That’s my take on it at least, but plenty of people disagree with me.
So what’s missing in the candidates we have now? I guess we don’t really have a good “dismantle the government and let everyone earn the right to live in arena death matches” candidate like Ron Paul would have been, but I don’t think the average voter who is displeased with our choices would have preferred the guy. What’s really surprising to me is the conservative military types who will only grudgingly vote for McCain, like I’m seeing in the thread over in IMHO. Who in the whole wide world is a better candidate to represent conservative military servicemen?
Back in the 1980s, I was hoping for Jack Kemp by 2000. Not sure at this point who is most like 80s-era Kemp, but if one arises, he (or she) is my ideal candidate.
As cheerleader-ish as it sounds, Obama is pretty close to my ideal. My only qualification is that I would have preferred him to have a little more seasoning.
I liked crusty old Chris Dodd. I could also support Chuck Hagel. Bill Richardson’s paper resume looks great, but his campaign performance lacked something.
Obama is my remaining favorite. He seems smart and idealistic. I do worry about his inexperience and his anti-NAFTA stance troubles me.
Based on the wording of the OP I infer the individual Doper’s “ideal hypothetical candidate” is not necessarily an electable one, just one the Doper would like to see as POTUS. I’d like somebody like Senator Bernie Sanders – a self-identified democratic socialist but not in any sense an ideologue; also, he/she should have multiple graduate degrees in economics, history, and public administration, and some executive experience in government at some level. Military experience helpful but not essential.
Anyone who will legalize marijuana, so my wife can obtain what she needs legally and more easily to relieve her stress, and as a consequence, I get laid.
I’d want to see someone randomly picked from the entire population of the US. Completely random. I’m willing to wager that whoever it is does no worse than anyone elected. Mostly 'cause if a real crazy who’s not elected tries to enforce their religious preconceptions on the populace at large, or start a war or two through lying, Congress and the public would actualy have a complaint or two that could stick.
Realisticaly, I’m voting for Clinton 'cause I want to see how well Bill can do as an unofficial back-door-channel operator. I suspect he could get some policy and trade deals done without too much public eye on him that would help the world’s economy.
Y’know, I once read a B&W graphic novel based on that idea – called President Bob or something like that. It didn’t make what you call a strong case for or against “randomocracy,” but it was funny.
Actually, I’m not sure that’s his preferred channel. But I could be wrong.
Arthur C. Clarke also used the idea in Songs of Distant Earth. The idea was that anyone who actively sought political power was automatically judged as unfit to wield it. The idea has always appealed to me.
And now for a confession which will surely make you all think that I’m either incredibly politically naive or maybe just plain stupid: I’ve always kind of secretly wanted Oprah to run for president.
A pro-gun Obama would be pretty close to perfect for me. There might be a few other things that I disagree with him on to a lesser extent, but he’s an intelligent man and I’m willing to see what he’s capable of.
I’d really like to see a president who isn’t a member of the Democrat or Republican parties and whose primary focus would be fixing the problems in the U.S. rather than worrying about everyone else’s problems around the world. And, of course, he or she would need to agree with me on all of the major issues.
There might be a few other things that I disagree with him on to a lesser extent, but he’s an intelligent man and I’m willing to see what he’s capable of.