First Look at 2008

It's only 20 months until the next presidential election so I thought I'd give a brief preview of who'll be up against Hillary after she mauls Barack Obama.

• Duncan Hunter – my dark-horse favorite. How do you not like this guy? As I wrote before, Hunter is "an optimistic, pro-life, support the troops and the mission, protect-the-borders, church-going, social conservative, Vietnam veteran with a son in Iraq, Reagan Republican." But I also expect him to get lost in a field of better known candidates. I just hope someone in a dark, smoke-filled room somewhere pushes Hunter to the front of the pack.
• Sam Brownback – It would seem that Brownback would be my favorite. A Kansan that I've actually met once and the most vocally Christian candidate in the race, Brownback may however lack the magnetism to appeal to anyone other than fellow conservative Christians. In fact, I'll bet that he has the opposite effect on many Americans, personifying all the worst fears and suspicions of an American theocracy. I'd rather he stay in the Senate or maybe run for Governor some day.
• Rudy Giuliani – probably the most electable and most likely to beat Hillary. I could actually support Giuliani, not because I share his personal politics, but because I believe he would govern rightly in all the ways that matter, including his nomination of strict-constructionist judges. Giuliani has a lot of baggage but could easily be a great president. And as former mayor of NYC, he might rank above some of the state governors in actual governing experience.
• John McCain – the opposite of Giuliani, in that I think McCain has proven that he'll won't govern rightly in all the ways that matter. I trust that McCain will always find the shortest route to the worst solution; purposefully or not, he's a magnet for disaster. No one invokes the retort, "Whose side are you on?!" more than McCain.
• Mitt Romney – the Mormon candidate. He's actually pretty electable and I could support him as one of the few Reagan Republicans in the field. I'll bet that his religion will be of little or no consequence in his administration, and thus shouldn't be as big a deal as some make it out to be.
• Mike Huckabee – kind of similar in some ways to Hunter or Brownback. Huckabee probably doesn't have a shot but it would be easy to like him. He's a former Baptist minister and governor of Arkansas, famous for losing 110 pounds. I bet he'd be a lot like George W. Bush: socially conservative but a mixed bag fiscally.

Others to consider:

• Newt Gingrich – Yoda should remain in the background for now. Any candidate should sit at his feet and listen carefully, but please do as he says not as he does.
• Jeb Bush – probably won't run but probably will be a future VP. He's actually a pretty good choice as a running mate.
• Condoleeza Rice – another good choice for VP, she says she won't run although there is a "draft Condi" movement afoot.
• Chuck Hagel, Ron Paul, and other RINOs. Not a chance.
  

Final notes:

• Governors, generals, and mayors are usually better suited to be presidents. Senators (who all think they should be President) usually aren't.
• "One question, sir: If elected, what kind of judge would you nominate for the Supreme Court." The correct answer is "a strict Constructionist, Mr. Lehrer."
  
• Some of the best men (and women) for the job don't have a realistic chance of being considered.
• Only Guiliani, and maybe Romney, seem have a chance to beat Hillary by people actually voting for them, while anyone would have a chance with people voting against Hillary. That's scary because it means a bad candidate just might slip through because of the negative vote Hillary will likely generate.
• Which is better, a Christian President who compromises too much or a more secular President who stands on his principles? That's a tough call. Reagan and Lincoln were both closer to the latter than the former though that's not the way we remember them, where sincere Christians like Carter or Wilson don't always fair as well.