# Who would you pick as the Democrat nominee in '08? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 3, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643 "2005-10-03T21:21:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/81 "2005-10-04T22:16:58Z")
IMO, Obama is just too damned smart to run in '08. Despite his obvious gifts, his lack of experience would do him in - though a VP nod is a possibility and would be a good career move. Of the contenders, Mark Warner gets my vote - a smart, charismatic, politically bold centrist Dem from a red state. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/82 "2005-10-04T22:32:24Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I’ve wondered the same thing. The Republicans have a libertarian arm of the party, even if it’s small and not particularly powerful these days. Who represents the libertarian arm of the Democratic party? I guess that would be the Democratic Freedom Caucus: [http://www.progress.org/dfc/](http://www.progress.org/dfc/) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/83 "2005-10-04T22:53:48Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I guess that would be the Democratic Freedom Caucus: > > [http://www.progress.org/dfc/](http://www.progress.org/dfc/) Really? My emphasis: > [@](#): > > individual liberty, constitutional democracy, and social responsibility. If that doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of a libertarian, I don’t know what would. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/84 "2005-10-04T22:57:42Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > If that doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of a libertarian, I don’t know what would. 🙂 Nuclear war, epidemics, and atmospheres full of carcinogens? They would scare the bejeesus out of me if I were a libertarian. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/85 "2005-10-04T22:58:29Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > [This one](http://www.moveon.org/pac/gore-rumsfeld-transcript.html). !!! THAT’s what you call “the ravings of a lunatic”? It reads as rather measured and dry, even laborious . . . did Gore scream when he delivered it? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/86 "2005-10-04T23:01:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > did Gore scream when he delivered it? Yes. As I said earlier, you had to see him deliver it to appreciate how crazed he looked. Of course, that’s an entirely subjective observation. One man’s crazed look, is another’s passioinate cry for justice and the American way. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/87 "2005-10-04T23:02:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > !!! THAT’s what you call “the ravings of a lunatic”? It reads as rather measured and dry, even laborious . . . did Gore scream when he delivered it? Sorry, already covered . . . gotta read the whole thread before posting . . . ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/88 "2005-10-04T23:09:02Z")
> [@SuaSponte](#): > > IMO, Obama is just too damned smart to run in '08. Despite his obvious gifts, his lack of experience would do him in - though a VP nod is a possibility and would be a good career move. I’ve got to agree on this. It’s just got almost impossible to be elected from the Senate. The opposition has become to wily in twisting the voting record. It’s better to be a mediocre Governor and incompetent businessman than a decent Senator. I’d like to see Obama get out of the Senate as soon as he can, either as a VP or Cabinet appointment. Of course the second one means someone else would have to win. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/89 "2005-10-04T23:19:32Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > It’s better to be a mediocre Governor and incompetent businessman than a decent Senator. Being the son of a former president doesn’t hurt either. Even if that president failed in his own re-election bid, apparently. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be the wife a former president either. HRC, without the “C” would’ve never made it to the Senate as she did. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/90 "2005-10-04T23:20:35Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Being the son of a former president doesn’t hurt either. Even if that president failed in his own re-election bid, apparently. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be the wife a former president either. HRC, without the “C” would’ve never made it to the Senate as she did. Too true. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/91 "2005-10-05T02:55:04Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > I also think John Warner is a good strategic pick. Except, of course, that he’s a Republican. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/92 "2005-10-05T10:46:16Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > If that doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of a libertarian, I don’t know what would. 🙂 Social responsibility? That doesn’t scare me. I like being socially responsible. I just don’t want you telling me what those responsibilities are. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/93 "2005-10-05T10:55:06Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I’ve got to agree on this. It’s just got almost impossible to be elected from the Senate. The opposition has become to wily in twisting the voting record. I agree, but I would hope that a clever person, like Obama, would learn how to out-wily the wily. It wasn’t the Republicans who invented “I voted for the war before I voted against it”. That was how Kerry himself described his votes. He was an idiot. Stay on the offensive. Switch the topic from flip-flopping to dishonesty when they say you voted against armor for the soldiers. Tell people that your dishonest opponent didn’t care about the armor; he cared about the pork that was attached to it. Turn it back on him. Get in front of the press and ask, “Why was my opponent blackmailing soldiers into funding his pet project just so they could have armor?” That sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/94 "2005-10-05T15:05:36Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Depending on his Senate aspirations, Steele is a likely bet to succeed Ehrlich in Maryland in 2010, unless Duncan or O’Malley pull off an upset next year. Yeah, that’ll be an interesting race. Steele is a strong candidate but both O’Malley and Duncan (O’Malley more, I’d guess) have very strong bases. If one of the two could solidify Baltimore, Baltimore County, and the DC suburbs then Steele will get slapped hard. Maryland is not unlike Illinois in that regard. Western Maryland and the Eastern shore just can’t compete with the Baltimore/Washington/Annapolis axis. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/95 "2005-10-05T16:02:39Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Social responsibility? That doesn’t scare me. I like being socially responsible. I just don’t want you telling me what those responsibilities are. Which was exactly my point, and which I’m sure you understood even though you’re pretending you don’t. But let me spell it out… in the context of a political party’s platform it should scare the crap out of a libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/96 "2005-10-05T16:38:00Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Except, of course, that he’s a Republican. 😛 Wow. Mr. Moto provides a useful correction. I meant Mark Warner, of course. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/97 "2005-10-05T18:19:50Z")
John Warner had Elizabeth Taylor, though. That’s got to make him qualified for SOMETHING! ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/98 "2005-10-06T10:06:40Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Which was exactly my point, and which I’m sure you understood even though you’re pretending you don’t. I’m sure you know you’re not psychic, even though you’re pretending you are. > [@](#): > > But let me spell it out… in the context of a political party’s platform it should scare the crap out of a libertarian. Why? A voluntary social contract is the very basis of a libertarian society. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/99 "2005-10-07T01:36:13Z")
As I’ve said before, my ideal Democratic candidate is the same person as my ideal Republican candidate: Rudy Guiliani. On the actual issues his stances are closer to the Democratic Party. He ought to have jumped ship years ago. Put on a ticket with a strong governor such as Richardson or Bresden, he’d be unstoppable. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643/100 "2005-10-07T06:14:46Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I’m not sure of a particular person, but it needs to be someone who’s been a governor of a southern or midwestern state. I don’t get the whole “needs to be a southerner” thing. We’re not _all_ coldly indifferent or insane in the North. As democrats and governors go, I like John Baldacci fairly well; he’s a good neighbor (unlike his predecessor Angus King), has a good track record on education, and so on. But as I’ve noted in the past, I like Lieberman even and would definitely vote for him - especially if Jeb runs in 2008. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-pick-as-the-democrat-nominee-in-08/324643.md?page=6)