How I Rank the Democratic Candidates for President
The first debate among Democratic presidential candidates occurred tonight in South Carolina, and I'm sure that everyone is just dying to know how I rate the candidates at this early stage of the race. And, even if no one cares, I'm going to write about it anyway. So sit back, relax, and see how the candidates stack up in Todd's mind (which is subject to change).
#1 Senator Joe Biden
I'm not ready to order a bumper sticker and yard sign yet, but his performance tonight cemented the fact that I'm leaning toward him at the moment. He had the single best answer to a question (and the only one to draw laughs intentionally--the whacko from Alaska doesn't count) when he responded to the question of whether or not he has enough discipline to refrain from further verbal gaffes with a very disciplined "Yes." As a member of the foreign relations committee, he has more experience than any of the other candidates in foreign policy, and it shows when those issues are discussed. He has the most well thought out plan for Iraq and one that might actually succeed (though it is doubtful that any can at this point). He also comes across as very genuine (probably why he DOES make the occassional verbal slip-up from time to time). And, last but not least, he is the Senate's #1 supporter of Amtrak. (Did you know trains are 4X more fuel efficient than ANY other mode of transportation we have available now?)
#2 Senator Barack Obama
Obama handled himself extremely well tonight, and at one point towards the end of the debate while fending off rather pointed criticisms from Kucinich and the whacko from Alaska, was able to balance responding firmly while not attacking either of them or acting as if their criticisms were something to be scoffed at. It was a moment where he seemed, well, very presidential. He has the added bonus of having opposed the Iraq war from the beginning (though not under the pressure of being a US senator at the time). The reasons he slips behind Biden to #2 in my own personal list is 1) he's one of the two front-runners, and I'll be damned if I'm supporting a "front-runner" this early on, I want a real debate, damnit!, 2) his lack of experience on the world stage and 3) at times he almost seems TOO polished. I'm actually drawn to Biden's occasional lapses of verbal eloquence--makes me feel like he's thinking on his own and not repeating some rehearsed answer every time.
#3 Senator John Edwards
He's the only one running on a somewhat populist platform, which gets major points in my view. But he also has the baggage of having been on a losing ticket as a VP candidate, and for some reason he just seems...a bit too...soft? Like he's trying to persuade me to buy a car instead of leading me somewhere. A leader should lead, not sway a jury. But I'm still open to the guy.
#4 Representative Dennis Kucinich
Despite my occasional burst of cynicism, somewhere down deep I'm an idealist at heart. And Kucinich, for all his quirkiness and total inability to actually win this election, occasionally says something I could actually agree with rather than commend as a good answer to a difficult political question.
#5 Governor Bill Richardson
I was hoping he would do better, because I genuinely like the guy. But his debate performance shows that at least at this point he's not quite ready for prime time.
#6 Senator Hillary Clinton
She was only one of eight people splitting up 90 minutes and I'm already tired of hearing her voice. That's a terrible reason to not want someone to be president. (Well, maybe not when you consider you'd have to listen to the person for four years.) But she's also the "establishment" candidate, which I just on principle can't stand. She voted for the Iraq War and has since completely waffled on that issue which puts her behind Obama and Edwards on that issue. And she just has no charisma or emotive capacity so far as I can tell.
#7 Senator Chris Dodd
I feel like someone crossed Bob Dole and Mayor Quimby.
#8 Whacko Former Alaskan Senator
But please don't vote him off the island! He was so entertaining. Who you wanna nuke Barack? Huh? Who the hell ya gonna nuke!? I feel like Admiral Stockdale was reborn.
So those are my thoughts for now, which as I said, are subject to change.
Go Biden!
#1 Senator Joe Biden
I'm not ready to order a bumper sticker and yard sign yet, but his performance tonight cemented the fact that I'm leaning toward him at the moment. He had the single best answer to a question (and the only one to draw laughs intentionally--the whacko from Alaska doesn't count) when he responded to the question of whether or not he has enough discipline to refrain from further verbal gaffes with a very disciplined "Yes." As a member of the foreign relations committee, he has more experience than any of the other candidates in foreign policy, and it shows when those issues are discussed. He has the most well thought out plan for Iraq and one that might actually succeed (though it is doubtful that any can at this point). He also comes across as very genuine (probably why he DOES make the occassional verbal slip-up from time to time). And, last but not least, he is the Senate's #1 supporter of Amtrak. (Did you know trains are 4X more fuel efficient than ANY other mode of transportation we have available now?)
#2 Senator Barack Obama
Obama handled himself extremely well tonight, and at one point towards the end of the debate while fending off rather pointed criticisms from Kucinich and the whacko from Alaska, was able to balance responding firmly while not attacking either of them or acting as if their criticisms were something to be scoffed at. It was a moment where he seemed, well, very presidential. He has the added bonus of having opposed the Iraq war from the beginning (though not under the pressure of being a US senator at the time). The reasons he slips behind Biden to #2 in my own personal list is 1) he's one of the two front-runners, and I'll be damned if I'm supporting a "front-runner" this early on, I want a real debate, damnit!, 2) his lack of experience on the world stage and 3) at times he almost seems TOO polished. I'm actually drawn to Biden's occasional lapses of verbal eloquence--makes me feel like he's thinking on his own and not repeating some rehearsed answer every time.
#3 Senator John Edwards
He's the only one running on a somewhat populist platform, which gets major points in my view. But he also has the baggage of having been on a losing ticket as a VP candidate, and for some reason he just seems...a bit too...soft? Like he's trying to persuade me to buy a car instead of leading me somewhere. A leader should lead, not sway a jury. But I'm still open to the guy.
#4 Representative Dennis Kucinich
Despite my occasional burst of cynicism, somewhere down deep I'm an idealist at heart. And Kucinich, for all his quirkiness and total inability to actually win this election, occasionally says something I could actually agree with rather than commend as a good answer to a difficult political question.
#5 Governor Bill Richardson
I was hoping he would do better, because I genuinely like the guy. But his debate performance shows that at least at this point he's not quite ready for prime time.
#6 Senator Hillary Clinton
She was only one of eight people splitting up 90 minutes and I'm already tired of hearing her voice. That's a terrible reason to not want someone to be president. (Well, maybe not when you consider you'd have to listen to the person for four years.) But she's also the "establishment" candidate, which I just on principle can't stand. She voted for the Iraq War and has since completely waffled on that issue which puts her behind Obama and Edwards on that issue. And she just has no charisma or emotive capacity so far as I can tell.
#7 Senator Chris Dodd
I feel like someone crossed Bob Dole and Mayor Quimby.
#8 Whacko Former Alaskan Senator
But please don't vote him off the island! He was so entertaining. Who you wanna nuke Barack? Huh? Who the hell ya gonna nuke!? I feel like Admiral Stockdale was reborn.
So those are my thoughts for now, which as I said, are subject to change.
Go Biden!