Here We Go Again

Here We Go Again

A new round of presidential candidates are announcing.

On the Republican side it seems as if someone joins the race every day. The total number of folks who think they can win the nominations is staggering. The amount of money each will have to raise, the organizations they will have to build, and the confusion that will surround so many people being on stage for the debates is mind boggling.

The Democrats have it much smoother. Except for a few folks on the outside of the large middle of that party, Hillary Clinton seems to have things locked up.

One wonders how the GOP candidate who emerges from the large field of candidates will not be so damaged and so out of resources as to have difficulty mounting an effective campaign against Mrs. Clinton.

That being said, we all know the Clintons are full of surprises, not all of them happy or encouraging so I suppose the GOP is hoping that either Bill or Hill will torpedo her campaign.

While it is always possible that an alternative to Mrs. Clinton will emerge, frankly it is getting a little late in campaign season to bet the farm on that. It appears she has a significant lead over any potential contenders and she appears to have the support of the incumbent president. Those are mighty swords to carry into battle.

Obviously, the GOP field will be winnowed down over the next few months. Some will fail to get any traction in the polls. Some will find the supporters they thought they could count on have signed on with candidates who have a better chance at a win. The GOP has some mighty effective fund raisers and a few of them who can dump tons of money into a campaign. If those donors unite behind one or two candidates this field will be narrowed quickly and significantly.

One could argue that Mrs. Clinton has the greatest experience of any potential Democrat. She spent eight years at her husband’s side, watching the presidency, hearing the policy debates, talking to him quietly in the family quarters of The White House. She then went on to make a name for herself as Senator from New York. That was followed by a presidential nominating campaign and then a term as Secretary of State. She would bring a wealth of experience to the job. But she lost the nomination to a man whose experience could not come close to hers last time around. So maybe Americans are less interested in experience and more interested in specific plans for handling the nation’s many problems.

No Republican has a similarly impressive background. 

However, Mrs. Clinton, because of her long time in the political limelight also brings baggage to her campaign. Baggage that most of the GOP candidates will not have to carry into their campaigns.

I am looking forward to a spirited primary season on the GOP side and a lackluster one on the DEM side. Then we will move into a campaign it appears that will offer the first chance for a female president.

It all sounds pretty exciting. It is way too early to handicap the GOP race. Having said that, I think it will take a pretty big surprise to upset Mrs. Clinton’s march to her party’s nomination.