Start Your Engines for 2008!

With the 2006 elections now over it is time to consider what will happen for ’08. In talking to people I gather that most folks feel that things will take shape in 3 to 4 months. Two candidates have already made a move.

Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner has decided not to run. He’s looking at Virginia, maybe running for Governor again, or for the next Senate seat. He’s a very capable individual and he probably could also be considered for Vice President. Certainly with Jim Webb’s victory in Virginia this week has put that State on the map as a potential blue state for the 08 contest. Republicans must be worried, now they’ve lost the Governor’s race twice, and the Senate seat held by Allen.

Tom Vilsack, Iowa’s Governor is running for President. He’s from a small state, so my sense is he’ll have a tough time getting attention and having an issue. However, since Iowa goes first in the primary process, he’ll get some good exposure and may make it to New Hampshire and South Caroline, but I would doubt it.

Al Gore is the best positioned major national public figure for 2008. He has the experience, and he’s made a lot of friends by his campaigning all around the country. He’s a winner.

Two losers are John Kerry and Hillary Clinton. Kerry wasn’t permanently impacted by his joke remark but it didn’t help him. Mrs. Clinton is hurt by having the Speaker of the House a woman. Let me explain, many voters will not be happy to see even one woman in charge, let alone two women in the most powerful positions. Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House will have a subtle and negative impact on Mrs. Clinton’s ambitions.

The real losers are the republicans. Republicans have used the Federal Government as a jobs program but that’s about to stop. You’ll see more houses in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland going up for sale. There won’t be that many government jobs available to them in the next two years. The lower level republicans, who’ve been living off the political appointment system really since Ronald Reagan won in 1980, will now be out of luck. Some will try and burrow into the federal system, others will look for jobs on K Street, and the younger one’s, who are true believers, will find campaigns across the country to go work for.