Wednesday, November 10, 2004
From Politics1.com
A FIRST LOOK AT 2008. President Bush has yet to be inaugurated for a second term and already the speculation is swirling as to who will run for President when he retires in 2008. For the first time since 1952, neither a sitting President nor an incumbent VP will be running to hold the White House. Instead, both sides will see wide open contests. On the Republican side, names floating include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY), Colorado Governor Bill Owens, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and -- despite his official protestations of disinterest -- Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's (R-PA) name was formerly in play, but his star power has greatly declined over the past two years. To increase his national strength within the party, Giuliani may decide to first challenge former First Lady Hillary Clinton (D) for her US Senate seat in 2006. Another consideration: Presuming Jeb stays out of the race, will President Bush openly or tacitly support anyone as a successor ... or will he stay above the nomination fight? On the Democratic side, the speculative names in play include Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), John Edwards (D-NC), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), former Vice President Al Gore (D-TN), former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, retired Army General Wes Clark (D-AR), Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and Virginia Governor Mark Warner.
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