Condoleeza Rice is without question the most talked about longshot candidate for the Republican nomination in 2008, and there are a number of reasons why. American Thinker explains the justified skepticism, however, while Uriah Kriegel does an excellent job analyzing a Condi candidacy - both the sources of her appeal to different segments of the GOP base, and the equally real gaps that make her candidacy problematic. Kriegel suggests a possible "realistic" 2008 stepping-stone strategy of aiming for the Vice-Presidency, if indeed she is interested in becoming President at all (she may not be). Well, that or NFL Commissioner, which would certainly make her very happy....
There is, however, another possibility. Dr. Jack Wheeler of To The Point has talked about it for some time now. He has been predicting that Cheney would step down, and Condoleeza Rice would become Vice-President in 2006.
Jack has been right on some big calls before, but until very recently I had simply dismissed this one. I still think this one is a long odds shot... but in the wake of Cheney's infamous hunting accident, columns like Peggy Noonan's "Hit Refresh" piece on February 16, and Instapundit's chronicling of the recent "Draft Condi" movement online (the CPAC buttons were telling, I thought), it's a possibility to at least take seriously.
Dr. Rice has plainly stated she was not interested in running for President. Perhaps she doesn't want that level of scrutiny. Perhaps she knows something about herself or her history that she prefers to keep private (I do not mean to imply something 'wrong', just personal.) I just don't think she'll run unless there is some major change in circumstances to make her change her mind.
Or perhaps it's all politics, and she's 'playing hard to get', because she thinks it will work best, just like any other sleazy politician. I hope not.
Joe,
There is almost no chance that, should he want it, McCain won't be the GOP candidate for 2008.
Condi would certainly rather be NFL Commisioner!
As of this time, the only Donk candidate is Hillary.
McCain would beat her like a drum!
IMHO, the benefit of this scenario is McCain isn't Hillary.
Mike
In your heart, you know she's hot.
Don't go there, Glen. Not without a pseudonym. A disposable one. TRUST ME ON THIS.
:)
Condi seems like a nice lady but I don't think she would do very well in presendential debates especially against someone as smart as Hillary.
To the contrary, Stoke, I think Condi thinks better on her feet than Hilary.
I think Dr. Rice's acumen would clobber Sen. Clinton's low cunning. She will also be much better dressed, while Clinton will be wearing her usual Lady MacBeth Collection pantsuit-from-Hell.
In short, Democrats sould hope for a very low turnout among male voters. No more than six or seven, tops.
Another factor worth considering is whether the rage and hate on the left will dissipate once Bush leaves office, or simply be redirected onto the new Republican candidate. If the most vocal and extreme parts of the Democratic base were to go after Rice in the bitterly personal way that they've attacked Bush they would look racist and misogynistic. The Republicans would then be able to keep moderate Democrats on the defensive about whether Rice hate is race hate, and force them into conflict with their own base in the middle of an election. It would be the same problem that John Kerry had, of having to simultaneously appeal to the centre and the left, but even worse.
As Condi continues to serve as our Secretary of State, the nation sees that her temperment, and her style of leadership will be the right blend for her to be our next president. The people who support her will have to work to get her to agree to run in 2008, so I guess next year will be the time to really get her to commit at some point. Now if the GOP keeps the House and the Senate, it will send a clear message of support for the President and his vision for our nation. That is going to be the biggest test for President Bush, winning support in November.
The more the Dems attack him, the more I think the voters who support him will come out for Republican candidates. That is what I think. And then we will see the groundwork in place for Condi to run in 2008.