1996: Dole out, Quayle in

[Edgeofnight]

Love this!

Thank you very much!

Will Bill Clinton pull a Ulysses Grant and run for the nomination 8 years later?

That is possible, you never know......

July 27, 2003 - SURVEY: Democrats have no clear front-runner, Dole and Bush lead the GOP field


"All of us on this stage generally agree on the issues facing our country. We all agree we have to invest in health care, education, and infrastructure. We all agree this administration has spent far too much time looking out for the wealthy at the expense of working families. The question is, who can actually win this election and get things done? In one of the most Republican states in the country, I have won numerous statewide elections. I helped improve the quality of education and when the Republicans sought to underfund medicaid, I made up the difference in my state by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share. In the Senate, I fought for Bill Clinton's agenda of raising the minimum wage, cutting welfare reform, and expanding access to the internet in schools and libraries. I have proven that we Democrats can defend our principles but also win elections and work with others to do what's right. The election in 2004 isn't about ideology as much as it's about experience and results" - Ben Nelson

"I made the decision to enter the race for President because I think we need a career diplomat who understands the world to restore the kind of American foreign policy we need and to confront the many challenges we face on the world stage. Sadly, the politicians on this stage just don't get it. Joe Lieberman supports the same foreign policy as this administration and Gary Hart has made clear he supports nation building. I support this administration's strategy in Afghanistan because we should be protecting our interests there as opposed to nation building. Where I disagree with this administration is in the area of human rights and diplomacy. This administration has failed to properly work with our NATO allies. I want to strengthen NATO not just as a military organization, but as an organization that also fights for human rights, environmental protection, and peace. This administration hasn't done the necessary things to end the genocide in Darfur and open trade relations with Cuba which to be fair, no administration in recent history has done. Many up here tonight talk about who can win this election. The real question is, who can do right by the next generation, and I think I'm that candidate" - Strobe Talbott

"Senator Lieberman and Congressman Gephardt spent years in Washington D.C. They failed to provide health insurance for millions of Americans, they failed to reform our broken campaign finance system that benefits the wealthy and well connected, they failed to stop this administration from gutting the EPA, and Senator Lieberman supported NAFTA and other trade agreements that sent millions of American jobs to China and Mexico. As Democrats, we can and must do better. My record is clear. Every progressive group in America ranks me as the best legislator on this stage. I'm proud to have opposed this administration's judicial appointments, tax cuts for the wealthy, and  their reckless environmental policies that have contributed to global warming. I have made it clear that I am the progressive champion in this race who will index the federal minimum wage to inflation, provide health insurance for every American, and enact public financing of all federal elections to return power to the American people" - Shelia Jackson Lee

"When I ran for President in 2000, I said I'd be a champion for working families. I respect the will of the American people and I congratulated the President when he won that election. But for working Americans, the past four years haven't worked out all that well. Our trade deficits have increased as wages have remained stagnant. The Chinese have manipulated our currency and sold cheap steel as American steel manufacturers have gone out of business, harming thousands of workers. This administration has failed to even consider raising the minimum wage and more Americans are struggling as the cost of health insurance in the poorest states in the nation have outpaced wage growth. We have to end these trade deals that send our jobs overseas, raise the minimum wage, expand medicaid to cover everyone earning less than $50,000 per year, and invest $500 billion in infrastructure over the next four years if we want to compete and win in a global economy. I've spent my entire adult life fighting for the forgotten men and women of this country, and I'll continue to do so as President" - Dick Gephardt

"I began my career in public life marching with Dr. Martin Luther King because I have a belief that all are created equal and endowed by our creator. As Connecticut's Attorney General and in the Senate, I have fought for every American without regard to their race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. We live in a very troubled world where too many forget that we are all God's children. What I offer Democrats and all Americans in this election is a fresh perspective, yet extensive experience. I believe the next President must protect the homeland, strengthen the middle-class and working families, exercise fiscal restraint, and protect the most vulnerable in our society. Here is the pledge I make to you. During my first term as President, I intend to send 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan to achieve success, invest $200 billion in human intelligence and increasing the size of the military to keep us safe, reforming the tax code by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share while cutting taxes for working families and closing corporate loopholes, creating new tax credits for research and development as a means to encourage medical research and energy independence, and I will balance the federal budget while still investing in higher education and infrastructure. Leadership is about setting goals and achieving them, and I intend to do just that" - Joe Lieberman

"For eight years, we've had an administration that has tried to dismantle the safety net and unfortunately, they've succeeded. We've had an administration that doesn't believe in economic development, so they've gotten rid of tax credits for job growth in urban and rural communities and they've slashed housing vouchers for the poor by 65%. We've had an administration that has invested in defense contractors even as our troops haven't seen an increase in pay that has exceeded the rate of inflation. It's time for a President who believes in the safety net, economic development, and who prioritizes our troops over campaign contributors. In Maryland, I kept taxes low and balanced the state budget without going into debt or gutting safety net programs. Unfortunately, Senator Lieberman and Congressman Gephardt have joined Republicans in trying to give us a false choice between deficit reduction and the safety net. Congressman Gephardt has voted for the safety net and against balancing the budget, Senator Lieberman has done the opposite. I know we can do both because as a Governor, I did both. We need someone from outside Washington to lead our country" - Paul Glendening

"It's no secret that I have been out of Washington D.C. and in the private sector for a long time now. Being in the private sector has given me the kind of experience that's needed in a President. I understand the business world and the non-profit sector now in a way I didn't when I left Washington 16 years ago. At the same time, my experience in Washington D.C. gives me to policy knowledge necessary in a President. When I was in Washington, both parties worked together and we got things done. We reformed the tax code, reduced unnecessary regulations, and expanded medicaid because both Republicans and Democrats knew that providing more Americans with health insurance was beneficial not only to the American people, but also to the American economy. Today, Washington is broken, and I think my diverse experience prepares me to break past the gridlock to fight for you. I have said that if elected, I would fight for three basic principles during my first term. First, I want to strengthen our alliances with our allies and address key human rights and security issues not being addressed today. Secondly, I want to end our dependence on foreign sources of energy and create millions of new green jobs here at home. Third, I want to invest in our crumbling roads and bridges. I hope you'll join me in the fight to ensure America is more secure around the globe and more prosperous here at home" - Gary Hart 

One of the most unelectable fields of all time debating about electablity is ironic