It's a Jungle Out There

[NHI]

✓ George W. Bush: 274 (60,259,971)

John Kerry: 264 (61,189,491)

The bitter results of the 2000 Presidential Election was child's play compared to the Presidential Election of 2004. George W. Bush managed to eke out a second term, despite losing the popular vote to John Kerry; becoming the only President to be elected and reelected without garnering popular vote support. The result polarized the country resulting in civil unrest and harsher discourse. An effort to abolish the Electoral College failed, but reforms for a more democratic form of electing our president were fought on the frontlines in state capitols across the country and in Congress...

The 2006 Midterms delivered an apocalyptic result for the Republican Party; putting the party in its worse shape since the Election of 1932. As a result, moderate leaders like Senator John McCain and Governor Mitt Romney sought to rebrand the Republican and pull it back from the precipice; while Democrats battled their own party infighting. A great battle was taking place over the soul of the Democratic Party, and it was about to play out in the 2008 Presidential Election...


2008 saw the collapse of the national party nominating system, and it was replaced by a Single Jungle Primary to be held in June. The new system ended the primary contests, allowing all candidates to be voted on, by all Americans on one day. The result the top two candidates would be two candidates to face each other in November and run for the Presidency. The Electoral College remained in effect, but  Americans largely praised the new system, which allowed all voices to be heard and to give the whole country a choice at picking the two candidates. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Socialists, etc could seek the chance to become one of the candidates. Many assumed patterns would repeat itself, A Democrat and Republican would face each other, but America was changing, and the 2008 Election would be the most unprecedented election in American history.

Candidates vying for the Presidency in 2008

Gallup Tracking Poll: Presidential Election Preference November 2006

Hillary Clinton: 33%
John McCain: 20%
Barack Obama: 16%
Rudy Giuliani: 10%
Other/Undecided: 21%

[NHI]

Interesting concept. Is it more like CA, where the top two move on to the general no matter what, or LA, where there's no second round if one person gets >50%?

The former not the latter.

[NHI]

September 2007
"I'm in it to win it." In six words Hillary Clinton boldly declared her long speculated run for the Presidency. The Former First Lady and now Senator from New York enters the Presidential Race as the favorite among the Democratic Contenders. Well-staffed and funded Clinton appears to be the one to beat, though her favorability ratings are worth noting. The New York Democrat is seen as a polorizing figure, and though she's taken more moderate stances as the Senate and even earned praised from her Republican senators for her cooperation, many Democrats worry the Clinton baggage may hurt the party as it looks to win back the Presidency after back-to-back electoral college losses.

Among Americans, 45% view Clinton favorably and 42% view her unfavorably. In trial heats against potential candidates, she leads Republican candidate John McCain 47% to 45%, Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney 46% to 38%, but trail Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani 46% to 44%.

Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards is also running for President, believing his appeal among working-class voters can help the Democrats make in-roads in key states that have delivered Republican victories, though sources close to the Kerry Campaign doubt Edwards' ability to flip any state given his lackluster boost on the 2004 Democratic ticket.

Other Democrats running include Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Senator Joe Biden and Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. All are considered long-shots. The candidate everyone is waiting on is Illinois Senator Barack Obama, who rocked the Democratic Convention four years ago with an electrifying keynote speech. Obama has said he will make his decision by the end of the year. The Presidential National Primary is June 3, 2008.

[NHI]

Senator John McCain was expected to be the Republican who could return the party back to prominence after double popular vote losses and a disastrous 2006 midterm, but the Arizona Senator and former Presidential candidate is having difficulty rallying support and is reportedly running low on campaign cash.

The Senator who fails to excel at large rallies have struggled adapting to the new primary system, which circumvents the traditional state by state process, in favor of one national vote in June of next year. McCain, who ran an insurgent campaign against then Governor George Bush in 2000 was propelled in part by his victory in the New Hampshire Primary. Now without any early primaries, many are wondering if McCain's campaign will last until the vote in June.

"McCain is running an old campaign, he's not raising money and he's being outspent by rivals like Romney and Giuliani who are dominating the airwaves," said a NH Republican activist and supporter of McCain in 2000, but is remaining neutral so far. "This maybe the year where big money wins out and that is a tragedy."

CNN TRACKING POLL: OCTOBER 2007

Hillary Clinton: 31%
Rudy Giuliani: 20%
John McCain: 14%
Mitt Romney: 7%
John Edwards: 4%
Ron Paul: 2%
Mike Huckabee: 2%
Dennis Kucinich: <1%
Joe Biden: <1%
Bill Richardson: <1%

[NHI]

Barack Obama announced he would not be a candidate for President in 2008. "I am flattered by the encouragement, but I made a commitment to the people of Illinois and I will remain in the Senate for the rest of my term." Obama's decision to bow out of the Presidential race leaves Democrat Hillary Clinton as the clear favorite. Many pundits believed an Obama campaign would shake up the field, and quite possibly be of the two candidates running in the general election. Obama offered no endorsement, but did praise both Senator Clinton and Edwards as 'exceptional candidates'.

Rudy Giuliani remains the second candidate to win the Presidential primary in June. He captures 23% of the vote in the latest CNN opinion poll, second to Hillary Clinton's 31%. Giuliani's has outraised the rest of the Republican field, though challenger Mitt Romney has pledged to put in $25 million of his money. Giuliani, however remains the leader with staff and organization.

He has already secured the endorsements from former candidates Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter and Newt Gingrich. Many analysts argue the new primary system benefits a candidate like Giuliani, who is able to dominate the major media markets. Compare to John McCain, who has struggled with a bare-bones campaign. Giuliani seems tailor-made to win a national vote. "There is no Iowa Caucuses, no early primaries, stuff that would do in a moderate, even liberal candidate like Giuliani, he is now in the driver's seat." 

[NHI]

Questions over Extramarital Affair Linger over Edwards Campaign

The 2008 Presidential candidate calls the allegations 'false and outrageous!'

Clinton Questions Edwards' Credability

"I've seen this circus before," Clinton said to laughter. "I know how the show ends."

Gore 2008?

The Former Vice President and 2000 Presidential candidate is reportedly weighing a late entry. Gore has until March 4 to make a decision.

[NHI]

Update coming next week!