Musing on…The Let’s Pick a President Game (2008 Edition)

It’s the eve of the Iowa Caucuses and the start of the 2008 edition of the nuttiest reality show of all: Let’s Pick a President. I’ve been pretty mum about my thoughts on this quadrennial’s silliness, but since the circus is about to start under the big top, I figure I might as well say something.

I’ve often stated that I’m an independent moderate. I don’t vote for party, I vote for person. I think is sometimes astonishes my friends, both conservative and liberal, to know that I’ve voted for Republican presidential nominees more often than Democrat. Given my feelings about a variety of hot-button issues, most assume that I generally go Democratic. Truth of the matter is that I’m not really enamored by either one of the major political options. Since they are pretty much all we have, it’s not like I have much of a choice. Oh well.

Are there issues that matter to me? Of course. Like everyone, I have various litmus tests. No one of these will knock a candidate out of contention, but a combination, factored in with public mood, as well as the global political and economic situations, give me the foundation for making a choice. Actually, more to the point, it winnows out those running whom I just don’t want to have in that office.

This time out, that means that it’s going to take something extraordinary for me to support any of the Republicans in the race. The security vs civil rights thing damages pretty much all of them, but combine that with other civil issues (abortion, gay rights, religion) and economic philosophies, and this group has pretty much shot itself in the collective foot from my perspective. So, no support should be expected from me this time around. (Though, of the GOP picks now in the race, I’m finding Romney the least objectionable at the moment. That could easily change.)

On the Dem side, I’m honestly only considering the big three of Obama, Clinton, and Edwards. It’s not easy. For the most part, they agree on the issues… maybe not the details, but on the broader principles. There isn’t much to differentiate them from each other on that score.

I’m squirreliest about Obama’s lack of experience. He seems to still be a little wet behind the ears… a lot like how Edwards was during the previous election run. It’s also not helping that it feels like Oprah is trying to buy him an election. Whether or not that perception is accurate or fair, that’s what it feels like.

So now there are two. Honestly, I keep bouncing back and forth between the two. I pick one and then twenty minutes later I’m choosing the other. Neither one is a slam-dunk to me. They each have policy potions/implementations I’m not on board with. So, how to decide?

In the end, I thought about myself in the voting booth (not one of those new-fangled ones, but the old trusted mechanical types with levers and such). If I’m standing there, all these choices before me, which level do I pull? The fact is, I’d pull Hillary’s, though I’d have reservations. Why her instead of Edwards? Two reasons. First: she’s a woman. In this election, that is a consideration for me. It’s time the U.S. has a female president, and I can’t think of another now, or in the foreseeable future, with as good a resume. All other things being equal, that tips it. Second: if she weren’t a woman, that resume might clinch the general election, but this time it’s still an issue with many of the electorate. She knows what she’s getting into, and I think she has the chops to see it through (pissing people off along the way, no doubt — including me at times).

How about VP? A lot of people say Richardson, but I think he’d make a much better Secretary of State. I think Edwards might be an interesting choice.

But it’s way early to start thinking about running mates and such. A lot can happen during the next several months. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it’s that it’s very dicey trying to predict things, especially the future. None of this is predicative. I’m just saying that as of now, I think I’m going to have to hang with Hillary (with reservations).

Oh yeah…what about Wild Cards at the table? What about Gore? He had his shot. Better to make him Global Ambassador for Environmental Issues. Colin Powell? While I think 70+ is a little old for a first-term President, I’d still vote for him. Anyone with his level of integrity and competence should win. In a landslide. Regardless of party affiliation. Every time.

Updates as situations (or whims) warrant.