The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Running for President The U.S. presidency is known as the most powerful job in the world, an opportunity to head the most powerful country both economically and militarily. It is also known as the worst job in the world, as the president is really a captive and under extreme pressure for four or eight years. One would wonder why so many want the prize, but there are no shortage of takers. This year the presidential primaries and caucuses have rapidly shook out the unwanted and those with no hope of winning. Democrat John Edwards did poorly even though he is a handsome, articulate and wealthy former senator. He just couldnÕt cut it against Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but it will be interesting to see where he and his delegates go at the party convention. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani, everybodyÕs favourite mayor since 9/11, ran a very strange campaign as though he didnÕt really want to win. He concentrated on Florida, raised more money there than anyone else, and rapidly declined in popularity before dropping out and backing John McCain. One would suspect that what he really wants is a cabinet spot in a Republican administration. Mormon millionaire Mitt Romney also dropped out for what he said was it was for the good of the party. One would think he would like to be chosen as the vice presidential candidate, as would ex-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher a favourite of the Christian Right. Back on the Democratic side, Clinton, the eight-year senator from New York, and three-year Illinois Senator Barack Obama are virtually neck and neck. They are both hoping for a first Ð the first woman president or the first black president. Obama is doing amazingly well, garnering a huge majority of the black vote in most states plus a lot of white/young votes. He is relatively young and untried with far less baggage than the former first lady. Clinton has done better than Obama in the more populous states, but he has won more states. What is unbelievable is the amount of money the two have raised, much of it on the Internet. In January Obama raised $32 million and Clinton $13.5 million. In the first week in February alone, both raised about $8 million and expected that month to be their best. What do they spend it on? ObamaÕs costs include a quarter-million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad and $5.7 million on travel and hotels from October to December alone. ClintonÕs costs include $1.6 million on ads in eight states starting near the end of January and $4.1 million in travel. McCain, the 71-year-old Arizona Senator, has been under fire from right-wing commentators for a number of his past actions, including voting against tax cuts, being in favour of giving citizenship to illegal immigrants, criticizing the management of the Iraq war and changing campaign finance laws. McCain insists he is a conservative on spending, abortion and defense, and has been pleading for conservative support, which is very substantial in the U.S. He will surely get it in November. With Clinton or Obama as the alternative, where else will these voters go? McCain is a war hero who spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. American voters love to elect war heroes to the high office, starting with George Washington and, more recently, JFK and the first George Bush. The one they didnÕt get was General William Tecumseh Sherman. When asked to seek the office, ShermanÕs unforgettable response was: ÒI shall not seek the nomination; if nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve.Ó Mccain does not feel he is too old for the job and touts his experience as a 20-year, very active Senator. There is no doubt that he is the candidate the Democrats fear the most. It should be an interesting election in November! RogerÕs Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
