I have been following the current Democratic Presidential Primaries (between Senators Clinton and Obama) to choose a nominee to counter Senator John McCain in the upcoming General Presidential Election. This is like a heavyweight chess match. Both candidates and their teams are working hard to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of their candidates. There are plenty of ups and downs and any mistake can prove costly.
If you are their advisor (the role of a second in chess), in your opinion, what does Senator Clinton need to do to have a chance to win the nomination of her party? And what does Senator Obama have to do to maintain his lead and earn the nomination? And what weaknesses do they have to minimize not to lose potential voters?
On the other hand, Senator McCain has already earned the nomination from the Republican Party. What does he have to do to maintain a strong presence in the media while Senators Obama and Clinton are battling for votes every day?
There have been plenty of discussions in the media about a potential VP candidate for Senator McCain? If you are his advisor, who would you recommend him to pick as his running mate? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, or someone else?
Condy as VP would be the best choice for McCain IMO because he takes on both the female and the racial issue with that.
Ms. Rice would be an excellent VP choice.
I am going to vote for Sen. McCain. I think….and I think it most responsible if he wins to serve only one term. Thus, his choice of a VP is quite important.
I think Sec. of State Cony Rice would be an ideal VP for Sen. McCain. First, she is quite intelligent and we need diversity in our government. Second, she is young and if ever required to take on the responsibilities of president if Sen. McCain cannot (due to whatever reason) then she is young, quite knowledgeable of foreign affairs and natianal security, and is well known around the world.
The Dems are only hurting themselves by having this Party Civil War…and I love it because I can sit back and feel better each day realizing that while the Dems are fighting each other….we Republicans, the gaurdians of the nation, will win on November 7.
So, let the Dems keep fighting amongst each other. It’s helping the Republicans and that is what America needs.
Go McCain!!!!
Lady Macbeth …er… Hillary has no chance to win the nomination now without the intervention of the superdelegates, which will (with some justification) make Obama supporters feel they’ve been robbed. The Democratic Party is dependent on African-Americans voting for them en bloc, so losing even as little as 10% of that due to ticked-off Obama supporters would cost them the election. Unless Obama has another major gaffe that surpasses the Rev. Wright episode, the superdelegates won’t do it.
Now, this doesn’t mean hillary won’t take her fight to the convention: she’s convinced the nomination is her right, and becoming president is the only reason she stayed with Bill after being humiliated over Gennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinsky. Expect a large convention battle in Denver, especially over the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations.
As for McCain, he just has to keep on doing what he’s doing until convention time. Hillary’s providing him with free anti-Obama commercials, and both are making him look great by showign how unready either of them is for the presidency.
Fair disclosure: I plan to vote for McCain in November.
McCain needs to get out of the way and let the Democrats try to reverse the effects of the terribly destructive Republican policies
McCain’s VP will be the Devil.
At some point the american public better wake up and realize that Obama is nothing but a media experiment with no experience whatsoever. Hillary is the only real choice this country has to repair all the damage made in the past 9 years.
Hillary lost a couple of Pawns in the early going by letting her structure get too stiff and making some awkward moves. Now the question is, can she take the initiative as compensation? She can point to control of some big open files—indeed, the big states she has won add up to more electoral votes than the smaller states won by Obama. A lot depends on whether she can achieve an h-file lever opening up a Kingside attack in Pennsylvania, while gaining some central squares in Indiana and Kentucky and holding losses along the b-file in North Carolina to a minimum. As happens even in grandmaster games, it’s often not the overall material count but the momentum that matters.
But if she gets her Rooks bottled up and Obama lands a deep Knight anchored by endorsements from the center not just the left wing, then she should resign rather than play until mate in Denver.
I’lll avoid the bad analogies to chess except the fact that Hillary got out of the opening ok but got decimated in the middlegame, and has very, very slight drawing chances, almost negligible in fact.
But no matter: Our nation, and the world, needs a strong leader that will not back down and hide from the current world threat that is radical islam. Obama will not address it: he’s sympathetic. Hillary will not: She won’t get the chance via voter will. McCain is the only candidate that will have the guts and courage to do what needs to be done and make the tough choices going forward, and to keep OUR country safe from radical islam.
That is the threat.
Think Bf6 and Rh8 Checkmate.
“McCain needs to get out of the way and let the Democrats try to reverse the effects of the terribly destructive Republican policies.”
– Now that is funny. Last I saw the Democrats held the house and Senate. Another case of revisionist liberal history.
Next thing you’ll be chanting “Change! Change! Change!”
I will likely vote for either Democratic nominee, but it is feasible that I could become too disgusted to even participate. I guess it depends on McCain’s running mate and if I cannot bear to ever see that person becoming president, because I am fairly certain that McCain won’t finish his term (don’t mean to be mean, but he’s quite old.)
If it’s Huckabee or any of the other jokers from the primaries, then forget it, I will vote for the D just to prevent Mc. Rice, too supportive of the war, no dice either. It’d take someone extraordinary to let McCain win actually, no one I can think of.
As far as the Dem primaries are concerned, I am all for it continuing as long as possible. It’s healthy. If you think what mud they’re throwing at each other is rough, well wait till the republicans get in on it. This is nothing. This is hardening them and fine tuning them, it’s fantastic, best thing for them.
I myself would like to see an Al Gore led ticket with Obama as veep, or Clinton with Obama as veep. I’m not completely comfortable with Obama as the top guy quite yet, I think he needs a stint in the 2nd chair and he will be heir to the throne. But if he wins the primary, then heck yea 🙂
It’s just like chess. McCain is going to turn into a white queen.
“This is like a heavyweight chess match.”
I didn’t even know that chess had weight classes. And I don’t see much similarity between chess and politics other than that both require planning.
Mark,
I coudn’t have said it better! You’re quite correct. Radical Islam is not just America’s worst enemy but it is the scourge of the 21st century.
For those that know what history actually is…and few really do…but there are those that do…
Radical Islam is akin to the Mongols that invaded Europe, after Charlemagne (not talking about the Islamic quest for Spain) but when they were knocking on Rome’s door.
Same mindset. Convert or die. History will show that this threat was and is greater than anything in the Cold War (with the possible exception of the Cuban Missile Crisis) and:
We (and by “we” I mean not just the U.S. but the west in general) Cannot negotiate with murdering terrorists. It’s not an option.
National Security and the defense of the U.S. and Europe (though, if it was me I’d let Europe go and forget them…they are so ungrateful…the U.S. saved them in two world wars, rebuilt Germany, and so many other things…but they hate us now…more envy than hate…because the “EU” is a joke.
they so want to be a power on the world stage but they are weak just as they were when Churchill begged President Roosevelt for help in WWII…and France just pulled their pants down and invited the Nazis inside…and don’t forget that France lost the Franco-Prussian war in the latter 19th century.
However, it’s not a “Europe vs America” world. Yes, europe hates us for many reasons and are jealous but we, the U.S.A. have kept them safe from Russia for over 50 years.
I say, we need a leader that will act, without hesitation, unilaterally because (OTHER THAN ENGLAND) we have no “allies” in Europe.
I lived there for years and have heard their hateful, spiteful, ungrateful words. Mostly from the younger generation.
I hope, with all my heart, mind, and soul, that the U.S. will take the bodies of our heroic fallen soldiers that are buried in France and bring them home.
Bring them home and take them away from France…a country that is so ungrateful for what we, the U.S.A, my grandfather…sacrificed.
But, eastern europeans were raised with the “Soviet” interpretation of history. Hence, you now have adults in Europe, being ignorant of history, accepts and believes that it was Russia that saved the continent in WWII.
How sad.
Europeans know the truth but choose to ignore it due to their differences with current political events.
WE, the USA liberated concentration camps, WE, the USA and General Eisenhower masterminded the invasion and eventual defeat of the Nazis in France.
We didn’t have to. We, the U.S.A did it because we have adhered to the principles of freedom and what is right. I know many in Europe will retort with “Guantanemo” and all this shows is their hatred toward our current president.
History shows, proves, and Europe can deny, lie, and distort the truth forever…but those Americans that fought, died, were wounded, in the defense of your continent are never given their credit by Europeans.
My grandfather is buried in France. I’ve tried for years to bring him home…to the country that has not forgotten what he sacrificed…he gave the ultimate sacrifice for Europe….and he’s in a hole in that rotten socialist, ungrateful, thing called “France.”
Europe…watch on November 7 as Sen. McCain is elected our next president. I hope you all cry…
We’ve cried our tears for the fallen American soldiers defending YOU…and you have done nothing in return but riducule the U.S. and defend Iran (England excluded here…they are our “ally” if there be such a thing as a European ally).
McCain! the GOP..they will keep us safe.
Let’s use the chess analogy established in the blog post.
Obama is currently ahead in the match with Clinton. If he draws all of the subsequent games (primaries) he’ll probably take the match. Clinton is playing for an error and hoping that the pressure of the next few games will cause Obama to make a major slip and allow her to take the lead in the match. The winner of this match will then face McCain in the finals. Right now he is binding his time and analyzing both opponents looking at their form, opening strategies and for any weaknesses.
Undoubtedly this will be one of the most important elections in US history and the most important since 1968 when Nixon defeated Humphrey.
Dear anonymous,
The important role of the U.S. in defeating the nazis cannot be doubted. However, I fail to see the justification of condemning Europe ”ungrateful”. What ”ungrateful” have they done? What are they supposed to do to express their gratefulness? To praise without questions everything the United States does?
How long can the United States hide behind that same old ”we saved you twice so shut up” nonsense? Over sixty years have passed. The fact that a country does the right thing at some point of history does not give that country a justification to do anything it pleases in the future. If a firefighter saves someone’s life and the next day this saved person sees the firefighter robbing a bank, is he not allowed to criticize this act?
I don’t hate the United States. Quite the opposite, its foundation in the eighteenth century has always been a source of inspiration to me. However, some later developments of the U.S. are just sad and I’m not talking only about the current catastrophe administration. Many of these developments are interconnected: rise of the Religious Right (extremism in all forms is the enemy of any civilized society and radical Islam and radical Christianity are just two sides of the same coin), appalling education system, low social mobility and the use of ‘democracy’ as a tool to promote one’s own geopolitical interests are just a few examples. There was once a lot to be jealous of, but not anymore.
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Let’s use the chess analogy established in the blog post.
Obama is currently ahead in the match with Clinton. If he draws all of the subsequent games (primaries) he’ll probably take the match.
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If that’s it, then it’s a bad analogy. Obama could lose every remaining primary by 20 points, and STILL come out 56 delegates ahead.
The only way Hillary can win is if the super-delegates give it to her. There’s not really an analogous situation in chess. It’s more like ice skating where judges decide how well you did.
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Undoubtedly this will be one of the most important elections in US history
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LOL, they say that EVERY election without fail. I don’t remember a single election where somebody didn’t assure us that this was the most important one.
But again, it’s not very much like chess. More like advertising, where the current model is always the biggest and best ever.
“At some point the american public better wake up and realize that Obama is nothing but a media experiment with no experience whatsoever. Hillary is the only real choice this country has to repair all the damage made in the past 9 years.”
Guess what. Hillary has no experience either. She’s running on Bill’s experience. If you want to say “Vote for Hillary and let Bill ssecretly run things”, fine. He’s got experience. But she doesn’t.
There is no advice that can help Clinton now. She blew her last slim chance with the absurd and unnecessary lies over Bosnia and Northern Ireland. That both Clintons are out and out liars has been proved yet again.
As Anthony says, the only reason Hillary stayed with Bill was the prospect of power in her own right.
Unfortunately, all Obama has to do is avoid another Wright scandal.
This exposed Obama’s real agenda, but he has been quite skillful in smoothing it over. Too many people have short memories.
Mark is right. Obama is sympathetic to radical Islam. Wright’s sermons, full of hate (isn’t Christianity supposed to be about love?), were in effect radical Islam in disguise.
That leaves McCain. What a choice! Serious problems here too. Fighting radical Islam is about the only thing McCain does have right.
To retain and deepen Bush’s tax cuts for the rich is idiotic.
McCain opposes abortion. Abortion should be a woman’s right to choose.
McCain would allow millions of illegal aliens become legal. The worst thing you can do. Look at all the problems Europe now has by allowing untold millions of Islamics in.
McCain’s running mate?
Huckabee? Puleeze. No more idiot Christian Fundamentalists!
Romney? Anybody who can believe the absurdity of Mormonism is not fit to be in such a position.
Rice? No. She is just ineffective. Talks good, but in reality has achieved nothing.
Obama will take virtually 100% of the black vote, and it will be out in force. So this might be 20% of the entire vote.
So McCain is going to need to get a lot of the non-blacks who would normally vote Democrat. He therefore needs a more centrist running mate. Therefore Rudi Guiliani has to be his choice. Rudi also did a very good job in New York.
Regarding what Anon 4:19 PM said:
Western Europe (Britain aside) is indeed disgustingly ungrateful for American help in two World Wars and since World War Two. Such short memories they have.
France, in particular, has a really shameful record since World War Two, acting more like an enemy than an ally.
France has hated the Anglo-Saxons with a passion ever since her utter trouncing in the Seven Years War (1756-1763) when she lost Canada and India to Britain. And is also extremely jealous of English having taken over from French as the world’s number 1 language.
Look at France’s record:
Extremely miffed at having been liberated by the ‘Anglo-Saxons’ at D-day. The contrast between the lukewarm reception the Americans and British received there and the enthusiastic one which they received in Belgium and Holland was stark.
Very grudging contribution to NATO, and virtually withdraws under De Gaulle.
Has always been in opposition to Britain in the European Common Market, keeping ridiculously huge subsidies for farmers leading to very high food prices and ‘butter mountains’, etc.
Refused to peacefully allow her colonies independence. Was ejected by force from Vietnam (1954) and Algeria (1962). Still will not give New Caledonia, etc. independence.
Idiotically supplies Saddam Hussein with a nuclear reactor (destroyed by Israel at Osirik 1981).
Ringleader of opposition to ‘Anglo- Saxon’ effort to remove Saddam Hussein in 2003. No doubt the French would prefer him to still be there.
Continued unsafe nuclear testing at Mururoa atoll for a long time despite worldwide protest.
I disagree, however, with Anon 4:19’s comment about the ‘Eastern European’ interpretation of history.
Germany was already busted in Russia before America was even in the war. The great Soviet winter counterattack before Moscow began on 5 December 1941 – 2 days before Japan attacked America.
To claim that it was mainly American war effort that liberated Europe in World War 2 is an American ego-trip. Germany was already well busted by D-day, and D-day was essentially just a mopping up operation. It was also stupid and unnecessary. The immense resources required for the build-up for this could have been much more profitably used by going into Yugoslavia.
What’s so great about kind of sleezy rice?
At the Iowa Electronic Market for the Democratic nomination, Obama’s stock is about 83-84 cents on the dollar, Hillary 12 cents, and “Gore or etc.” about 5 cents. This represents a composite public estimate of their chances of winning. I personally would pay up to 30 cents for Hillary, expecting a 53%-47% win in PA.
My father was in the Pacific and Japan after WWII and has interacted with Frenchmen from his generation through the international aluminum industries. When I was growing up he said that they were incredibly grateful to the US for both world wars, and that they noted the contrast to their own younger generation. And we need to be grateful in turn for those in the East—not just the numbers who gave their lives, the battles themselves were on a scale larger than any in Western Europe.
You idiots should be grateful to Europe for providing the population – your ancestors – that stole America and destroyed its native people. So you could get fat by plundering the world’s energy resources with your greedy overconsumption.
As a European, I fully agree with the last comment. Yes, Americans should be grateful to Europe for providing the men who built this country, but alas, the U.S. idiotic leaders (G.W.Bush being prominent among them) drove it to messing around all over the world plundering the world’s resources. Truth is, nobody likes Americans, except the US. McCain would be just another tragic figure leading a big nation, though.
anon 4:19,
I completely support your comments about radical Islam and agree with you 100% that it is the scourge of the century.
But McCain helping us against that? What a joke! The Moslem leaders would be delighted to see McCain go into office. He will be a useful pawn for their purposes.
The best choice for McCain VP is someone that can swing te conservative base without being directly associated by the Bush Administration.
Although I am a strong supporter of President Bush his policies are just, however flawed when it comes to foreign policy issues. Case in point is Iraq. Instead of 175K soldiers on the ground, he should have put 500k soldiers there from the start. The surge would never have been needed and the insurgancy would not have been as bad.
Therefore, Sec. of State Rice is not a good choice because she has an awfully big hand on the issue right from the start.
So the question is who is the best choice. Personally speaking, I would sayGov Crist from Florida as he would not only bring in the southern vote but can reach out to the conservative base across the country. I would prefer Mitt Romney, but with the devisiveness between him and McCain that ticket won’t happen.
But a must quality the VP should have is some economic experience along with the conservative values he or she may hold.
What McCain does have is time on his side to give a proper evaluation for everyone considered for the job.
As for the Democrats, they will be beating themselves over the haed right up to the convention trying to figure out who is going to win.
In the end it will be very interesting. So to recap:
VP choice would be someone like Gov. Crist, although I would prefer Mitt Romney. And it won’t be Condi Rice as she is associated with the supposed “ills” of the world going on right now.
“Truth is, nobody likes Americans, except the US.”
OK. We’ll remember this when your enemies invade you again. I hope you like Islam. Because, without America’s help, Europe is going to become one huge Mosque.
America is shutting down Mosques, you just don’t see much in the news about it…
Quite.
Europe largely successfully resisted a Muslim takeover by force of arms in the 8th to 10th Centuries.
Now it is happening by stealth. It is tragic to see.
Already it is predicted that within a generation, the majority of children born in Holland will have Muslim parents.
Marseilles and Toulon are now French in name only. They are already almost entirely Muslim. And the riots in the suburbs of Paris a few months ago are a harbinger of what will come.
Stupid Europeans and their stupid governments need to wake up – and fast!