still not convinced

Are people still saying that Obama's going to be a one-term president? If they are, I'm still not seeing it. The GOP doesn't exactly have a field of plausible candidates, and the guy I like the most, Herman Cain, has zero experience in elected office. I also worry that Cain, if elected, might try the Ross Perot strategy of running the country like a business, when it clearly isn't a business. Cain's primary weakness seems to be a lack of foreign policy knowledge, but I imagine that other weaknesses will come out in various debates. Who else is there in the crowded Republican field?

Sarah Palin? What a joke. She symbolizes the current disturbing trend toward anti-intellectualism in the GOP. Where did all the William F. Buckley conservatives go?

Rick Santorum? Same deal, plus there's his odious stance toward homosexuals.

Ron Paul? While some of his libertarian ideas are close to my heart, advocacy of open borders and an overly dovish foreign policy make him an implausible choice.

Mitt Romney? He seems to bring baggage that is disturbingly similar to that of John Kerry, flip-flopping (viz. Romneycare) and insincerity being among his worst faults.

Rick Perry? He's got that James Brolin look about him, but I'm not convinced the man knows very much. A series of clumsy debate performances merely reinforces this impression.

Michelle Bachmann? She, too, strikes me as someone who shouldn't be running. And Aaron's embedded Bad Lip Reading video flays her mercilessly.

So I'm settling in for a second Obama term, and even if the GOP manages to field a winning candidate, I'm not convinced that their lofty aspirations-- heal the nation!-- won't be dashed once the new president's term begins. When in campaigning mode, everyone preaches some form of hope and change; once the campaign is over and the dust has settled, it's back to grinding reality.

For me, the most interesting question is whether Hillary Clinton-- who has repeatedly denied/disavowed a desire to run-- might challenge Barack Obama for the nomination. But The Maximum Leader's considered opinion is that, while Obama's base is upset with the status quo, Hillary doesn't pose a credible threat.


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