As for Obama and Edwards, however, you haven’t offered anything but cheap labels. You say Obama’s an “empty suit” but can’t explain what that means in real terms, and you say Edwards is a “snake oil salesman” without mentioning what he’s purportedly selling. I know it’s fun to simply shout “Eeek! It’s a lawyer!” whenever Edwards appears on camera, but big deal. The government is full of lawyers. The presidency has seen a number of lawyers. Lincoln was a lawyer.

On the other hand, when I say that McCain’s having very real (and, honestly, heartbreaking) moments of mental lapse, you can see what I’m referring to. When I say that Giuliani and Gingrich are cads, you know what I’m referring to.

As for Brownback? Maybe “nutty” falls into the same category as “empty suit.” Better I say that I don’t much care for theocrats.

I like Richardson, though, and think he should be a stronger candidate. Although I cringe when I consider what the usual gang of screaming Fox “News” pundits will decide to make of his Hispanic background, especially since “Bill Richardson” doesn’t sound like a Hispanic name. I recall the brief attempts to say John Kerry was misrepresenting himself as Irish, as well as the recent idiocy over “Barack Hussein Osama.”

Hillary Clinton – Power hungry opportunist. Her whole move to run for the Senate in NY was to set herself up for a Presidential run. Nothing more. I’d happily cast a vote for Ralph Nader before this person.

Barack Obama – Nice guy, gives good speeches but he’s an empty suit if there ever was one.

John Edwards – Snake oil salesman.

Bill Richardson – Tax cutter, strong on immigration, foreign policy experience up the wazoo, friend of the 2nd amendment (he was endorsed by the NRA over his GOP opponent), and has executive experience.

He’s got the goods but he’s sitting in Joe Biden territory.

Of course, if the GOP chooses to field these guys, who need a team of advisers to find their asses, well that works for me too.

Leading in front of Rudy and Newt, men infamous for the way they’ve treated their wives right before divorcing them?

Who themselves are in front of nutty Sam Brownback?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d like the Dems to take the White House, but surely the GOP has somebody more palatable than these guys. Huckabee? Hagel?

Sure. The GOP turned away Bob Dole at an earlier point. Remember in 1988 when he snapped at VP Bush in a debate, “Stop lying about my record!” No different.

Spider, I wouldn’t say the McCain nod is ‘in the bag’ but he’s going to have to do something really awful in order for somebody else to pull the rug out from underneath him. Brownback would have to pull the rug out, and then physically bury McCain alive to even begin to have a chance to beat Newt Gingrich.

Haw!!

Totally agree.

The Democrats essentially had to do the same with John Kerry.

Ditto, and I could think of 10 candidates than Kerry as well.

So are you saying that it’s McCain’s turn now? After the GOP essentially destroyed him in 2000?

But Dole was the party guy and it was his ‘turn.’

The Democrats essentially had to do the same with John Kerry.

I just think it’s a little too early to write McCain off. Right now, he’s the only ‘insider’ candidate.

McCain right now is the GOP insider candidate. There are no sitting Governors the GOP have to turn to so it will come down to the Senator from Arizona. Once the party backs a candidate, it’s virtually impossible for somebody else to make a run, so I wouldn’t be so quick to write McCain off.